Utah judge blocks DOJ from accessing full voter database

The Department of Justice has lost 26 lawsuits related to voter rolls, the latest occurring in Utah on Friday. District Judge David Barlow dismissed a case seeking a complete dataset of the state’s registered voters. The ruling prevents federal lawyers from obtaining names, birthdays, addresses, and partial driver's license or Social Security numbers.

The Justice Department sued Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, the state's top election official and a Republican. The administration argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 requires state officials to make voting records available for federal inspection. They maintained that the law serves as an enforcement tool for federal election laws, which should include statewide voter registration databases used for list maintenance.

Barlow rejected the government's interpretation. He cited a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stating that an ordinary English speaker would not say a state has come into possession of data it created, established, and maintained. The judge also noted that courts lack the authority to prioritize vague statutory purposes over the specific language chosen by Congress.

A DOJ spokeswoman confirmed the department will appeal the decision. She stated that the only appellate court to review similar issues split on largely partisan grounds. She added that five judges signed dissents from the denial of en banc review in that circuit. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Henderson responded to the dismissal on the social platform Threads. She wrote that her office appreciates the ruling and will continue to uphold the rule of law. She said the office will safeguard the fundamental right to free, fair, and secure elections for Utah residents.

The defeat adds to a record of litigation losses for the Trump administration since it began its push to address alleged illegal voting. The department has yet to uncover evidence of widespread voter fraud despite charging several individuals. Three other voter roll cases remain pending in Hawaii, Idaho, and Delaware. The Justice Department is also currently appealing losses in California and Oregon.

Barlow dismissed the complaint with prejudice, which bars the DOJ from simply refiling the same claim. The judge, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, previously worked as a Republican congressional lawyer, a federal prosecutor, and a private attorney. The decision leaves the administration to rely on appeals or other pending cases to access similar state data before the midterm elections.