The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, accusing him of violating federal law by refusing to provide complete statewide voter registration records requested under the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
Federal attorneys stated that their request for comprehensive voter files was part of an ongoing review of how Washington maintains its voter rolls in accordance with both the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. Hobbs’ refusal to comply has led DOJ to take legal action.
The lawsuit argues that the attorney general possesses broad authority to obtain election-related documents containing full identifying information, such as birthdates and partial Social Security numbers. According to court filings, this request was deemed necessary for federal oversight of state voting systems.
Hobbs countered that his office would only provide data already considered public under Washington law – specifically mentioning name, address, year of birth, and voting history as permissible. He categorically refused sharing more sensitive details including full dates of birth or driver’s license numbers.
“The files contain sensitive information provided by voters,” Hobbs stated in response to the DOJ request. “This includes names, addresses, date of births, SSN suffixes, driver licenses, etc.”
His office maintains that while public voter registration data is available, private details like complete dates of birth and Social Security identifiers cannot be lawfully disclosed.
The DOJ letter emphasized its right to full access to voter records for proper federal oversight. The agency contends this level of transparency is required by national election laws.
This conflict arises as state officials work diligently to ensure fair elections while balancing voters’ privacy rights, a challenge that extends beyond Washington’s borders according to legal experts consulted on this matter regarding the ongoing case review in other states.
