NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Ministry of Justice filed lawsuits Tuesday against six blue states: Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, accusing them of violating federal law by refusing to provide voter registration lists on request.
Complaints filed Department of Justice Civil Rights Divisionargue that the states failed to meet their legal obligations under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, three federal laws that require states to maintain accurate voter rolls and make those records available for audit.
Prosecutor General Pam Bondi He said states' refusals to release the lists undermine the transparency and accountability those laws were meant to guarantee.
“Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have failed to comply with basic rules for maintaining voter rolls,” Bondi said in a statement announcing the lawsuits. “The Department of Justice will continue to aggressively pursue election integrity lawsuits until states meet basic election guarantees.”
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced a new lawsuit against six blue states over access to voter roll data. (Getty Images)
According to the Justice Department, the agency formally requested the current statewide voter registration list and did not receive the required records. In each lawsuit, the department argues that Congress has given the attorney general clear authority to require the release, review and analysis of voter registration data to ensure compliance with federal law.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Mother Dillonwho heads the civil rights division, said the department will intensify efforts to enforce the law ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
“Our federal election laws ensure that every American citizen can vote freely and fairly,” Dillon said. “States that continue to ignore federal voting laws are hindering our mission to ensure that Americans have accurate voter rolls when they go to the polls, that every vote is counted equally, and that all voters have confidence in the election results. In this Department of Justice, we will not tolerate this open disregard for federal civil rights laws.”
FIRST VOTE? HERE'S A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BALLOT POINTS, IMPORTANT ISSUES ON ELECTION DAY
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon arrives for a press conference at the Department of Justice on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Justice Department says the lawsuits are part of a broader law enforcement effort. Voter Registration Transparency Requirements this Congress enacted to ensure public confidence in the conduct of elections. The NVRA requires states to maintain accurate voter lists and make them available upon request; HAVA requires states to modernize and protect voter registration systems; and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 allows the government to inspect and copy certain election records, including voter rolls.
Fox News Digital has reached out to election officials in all six states for comment.
The Justice Department filed lawsuits against six blue states: Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, accusing them of violating federal law by refusing to provide statewide voter registration lists upon request. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Federal officials are increasingly putting pressure on states compliance with voter lists problems of recent years, arguing that transparency of registration lists is necessary to maintain accurate records, prevent administrative errors and ensure voter confidence in election results. The Justice Department says the six states named in these new lawsuits have repeatedly failed to comply with the department's requests.
Now things will move forward federal courtwhere judges could order states to turn over voter rolls, set compliance deadlines, or issue injunctions requiring compliance with federal law.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Election law disputes over access and maintenance of voter rolls have intensified across the country as states prepare to Midterm exams 2026 and the Department of Justice's latest actions demonstrate an aggressive legal stance against states that fail to comply with federal disclosure rules.
The department says it will “continue to aggressively pursue election integrity lawsuits until states comply” and left open the possibility of additional lawsuits.
