PASADENA – Today the League of Women Voters of Oregon and the League of United Latin American Citizens, represented by Campaign Legal Center, the Brennan Center for Justice, and Democracy Defenders Fund, filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit asking the court to uphold a district court ruling dismissing the United States Department of Justice’s lawsuit illegally demanding Oregon’s complete voter file.
The Justice Department sued Oregon in September after the state refused to comply with its demand for the state’s voter file, which contains voters’ sensitive data — including partial Social Security and driver’s license numbers. The suit is one of 31 that the Justice Department has filed against states nationwide in an effort to obtain complete voter files. The brief argues that the legal basis for these demands is a pretext and insufficient, and that compelling states to hand over this data could chill voter participation — particularly in Latino communities.
The organizations released the following statements:
“The Department of Justice’s demands for Oregon voters’ private data are illegal and illegitimate,” said Mark Kendall, President of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. “This is a fishing expedition aimed at misusing private information to purge voters and attack our democracy. The League is proud to stand with voters to defend their privacy, and we urge the Ninth Circuit to affirm the district court’s decision.”
"The League is proud to stand with voters and defend them from illegal federal government overreach," said Caren Short, Director of Legal and Research of the League of Women Voters. "By continuing to pursue this case seeking Oregonians' private data, the Department of Justice is exposing the actual purpose of these lawsuits: to target voters for suppression and purges. We urge the court to protect voters and reject the Department's appeal."
“The stakes of these cases are high,” said Juan Proaño, Chief Executive Officer of LULAC. “Since the DOJ filed its case, we have seen a growing sense of fear take hold among registered voters who worry their sensitive data may be exposed. This is a troubling shift felt across Oregon, particularly within the Latino community. LULAC remains committed to rebuilding trust because our democracy is strongest when communities are informed, protected, and empowered.”
“The Justice Department’s attempt to seize Oregon’s unredacted voter file is not an isolated legal dispute — it is part of a coordinated effort to amass sensitive voter data from states across the country,” said Eileen O’Connor, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. “Federal courts have dismissed four other similar lawsuits in four other states. Voters deserve to have their private information protected, and states have every right to refuse legally irrational demands.”
“Voters deserve confidence that their sensitive data is secure. Any attempt by the Department of Justice to obtain information about voters in Oregon outside of its statutory authority violates the constitutional allocation of power over elections and could intimidate voters from participating in the democratic process,” said Sejal Jhaveri, senior legal counsel for strategic litigation at Campaign Legal Center. “We are proud to join with this coalition to defend voter privacy and urge the 9th Circuit to affirm the decision of the district court.”
“Any loss of confidence in privacy protection risks chilling voter participation and undermines the trust necessary for the full exercise of voting rights,” said Pooja Chaudhuri, deputy litigation director of the Democracy Defenders Fund. “Protecting participation, safeguarding access, and ensuring every eligible voter can engage freely in our elections are vital to the health and resilience of American democracy.”
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