DOJ Sues 22 States Over Voter Roll Compliance

The Department of Justice is taking legal action against 22 states that it says have failed to comply with federal voter roll verification requirements, marking a major escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to enforce election integrity standards nationwide.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced Monday that the DOJ has filed 23 lawsuits targeting states that have not provided required information on voter list maintenance or failed to turn over electronic copies of their voter registration lists.

“States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with, including our voting laws,” Dhillon said. “American citizens have a right to feel confident in the integrity of our electoral process.”

The legal battles stem from demands made earlier this year under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and other federal statutes that require states to regularly verify and update their voter rolls against government data to prevent fraud and avoid vote dilution.

The initial suits in mid-September targeted Oregon and Maine for refusing to share voter roll maintenance procedures and digital lists. More recently, the DOJ expanded its crackdown to include six additional states:

• California (with two separate lawsuits)

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• New Hampshire

• New York

• Pennsylvania

Dhillon explained on The Charlie Kirk Show that the process began when the DOJ requested voter rolls from every state and territory so they could help compare data and ensure compliance. Her office found significant resistance not just from traditionally “blue” states, but also from some red states, leading to lawsuits.

According to Dhillon:

• 13 states have voluntarily complied, including Texas, and have already uploaded data even as recently as Christmas Eve to assist with the DOJ’s list-cleaning efforts.

• But many others have balked at sharing voter rolls or detailing how they maintain them, prompting litigation.

Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, responded to her state’s lawsuit with a sharp rebuke “Go jump in the Gulf of Maine.”

Federal law requires states to regularly update voter registration lists to remove ineligible voters and ensure that only eligible citizens are on the rolls. Without accurate lists, critics argue, election integrity is compromised, leading to confusion, potential fraud, and reduced public confidence in elections.

The DOJ’s effort aims to enforce these requirements consistently across all states not just a select few so that federal elections are conducted fairly and transparently.

Dhillon hammered the point home “The refusal of certain states to protect their citizens against vote dilution will result in legal consequences.”

Whether these lawsuits will succeed remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the federal government is signaling that election law compliance will be enforced, no matter the state or political climate.

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