US judge rules Justice Department use of voter rolls unlawful

A US judge ruled on Friday that the Justice Department's effort to obtain state voter rolls and use them to demand the removal of voters deemed ineligible was unlawful. This decision marks the 24th consecutive federal trial court loss for the Trump administration's efforts to scrutinize voter eligibility.

US District Court for the District of Vermont Judge Mary Kay Lanthier ruled that the Justice Department cannot use Title III of the Civil Rights Act to justify access to an electronic copy of Vermont’s statewide voter registration list. The court also found that the electronic voter rolls maintained by states are not “records” subject to Civil Rights Act disclosure, as they are dynamic repositories where voters are added and removed.

Furthermore, the judge stated that even if the statute applied, the Justice Department's claim would fail because the federal government did not allege a basis in racial discrimination, which is the original purpose of the Civil Rights Act. Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Attorney General Charity R. Clark issued a joint statement, asserting that the Trump Administration had no authority to demand access to sensitive personal information of voters.

A Justice Department spokesperson indicated that the office was reviewing the decision and would likely appeal.