DOJ Suffers 18th Loss in Voter Roll Disputes as NJ Judge Rejects Data Demand
A federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s lawsuit demanding unredacted New Jersey voter rolls, marking the 18th consecutive defeat for the administration in similar cases. Judge Zahid Quraishi ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 does not grant the federal government access to state-maintained digital voter databases. This decision follows a recent admission by Governor Mikie Sherrill that a software error added 6,600 noncitizens to the rolls, which the DOJ attempted to use to justify its data demands. The ruling reinforces a trend where courts across the country are rejecting federal claims to sensitive voter data, including driver’s license and Social Security numbers, citing state sovereignty and privacy concerns.