Judge Dismisses DOJ Utah Voter Data Suit

The Justice Department’s effort to obtain Utah’s voter registration files ended in dismissal on Friday. District Judge David Barlow ruled against the administration’s demand for a complete list of Utah voters. The data sought included names, birthdays, addresses, driver's license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.

The department filed the suit against Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, the state’s top election official. Legal arguments centered on the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Federal lawyers argued the act requires officials to make voting records available for inspection upon request. They contended that excluding the state's primary voter database would undermine the law's purpose as an enforcement tool.

Barlow rejected that interpretation. He cited a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that defined possession strictly. The court previously noted that an ordinary speaker would not claim to possess something they created and maintained. Barlow stated that judges lack authority to prioritize vague statutory purpose over specific congressional language. He dismissed the complaint with prejudice, preventing the department from simply refiling the same claim.

The administration has faced 25 prior defeats in similar voter-roll litigation. A DOJ spokeswoman confirmed the department will appeal the decision. She noted that the only appellate court to review the issue so far split on largely partisan grounds. Five judges in that circuit signed dissents opposing en banc review.

Henderson, a Republican, responded to the ruling on social media. She stated that her office will continue to protect the privacy of Utah voters. The lieutenant governor emphasized the need to safeguard the right to free and fair elections. The White House did not provide comment on the decision as of Monday.

The department maintains three other pending voter-roll cases in Hawaii, Idaho, and Delaware. Appeals are also underway in California and Oregon. The administration has charged specific individuals with illegal voting but has not yet identified evidence of widespread fraud. Barlow, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, previously worked as a Republican congressional lawyer and federal prosecutor.