Appeals Court Reviews DOJ Push for Michigan Voter Data Disclosure
A federal appeals court is reviewing the DOJ's bid for Michigan's unredacted voter registration list.
Why it matters: This case highlights tensions between election transparency, voter privacy, and state-federal power. The outcome could affect how legal teams approach election law compliance and privacy in data disclosures.
- The DOJ requested Michigan's unredacted voter registration list in August 2025, citing possible violations of the National Voter Registration Act.
- Michigan's Secretary of State denied the request, supplying only the public version and invoking federal privacy protections.
- A federal district court dismissed the DOJ lawsuit in February 2026, stating the electronic list isn't covered by disclosure laws.
- Federal courts have dismissed DOJ lawsuits seeking similar data in six states as of April 2026.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) asked Michigan in August 2025 for its full, unredacted voter registration list, citing concerns over compliance with the National Voter Registration Act after observing lower-than-average voter removals and confirmation numbers. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released only the public version, arguing that ongoing, self-generated lists are protected by federal law.
Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou sided with Michigan in February 2026, ruling that the electronic list isn't subject to disclosure because it's not a record that 'comes into possession' of the Secretary under the Civil Rights Act. Benson said the decision shows "the law is on our side." Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated, "We will not be bullied into violating the privacy rights of residents."
This legal dispute is part of a national trend. The DOJ has sued 30 states and Washington, D.C., for unredacted lists, but federal courts have dismissed similar cases against Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Rhode Island. Assistant Michigan Attorney General Heather Meingast called the DOJ's request "unprecedented and unsupported by the law," given the sensitivity of data from more than 8 million Michigan voters.
From 2019 to March 2025, Michigan canceled over 1.4 million voter registrations—including for deceased voters and those not responding to residency notices—raising questions about what voter maintenance metrics should look like under federal law.
By the numbers:
- 8 million — Michigan voters whose unredacted data the DOJ requested
- 1.4 million — Michigan voter registrations canceled from 2019 to March 2025
- 30 — States and D.C. sued by DOJ for full voter lists as of April 2026
Yes, but: The DOJ's specific grounds for requiring the unredacted data and detailed concerns about Michigan's voter list practices remain unclear.