DOJ Sues Washington for Voter Data, State Fights Back

0:00The Trump administration's Justice Department finally got its lawsuit against Washington State, rolling after months of delays serving papers to the right attorneys. File back in December, the case demands voter registration records, including sensitive details like dates of birth, drivers license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security Numbers. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs refused, citing state privacy laws and questions about how the feds plan to use or secure the data. The suit claims Hobbs violated the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which lets the attorney general demand certain voter info to check for, ineligible voters on roles. A judge recently chewed out the DOJ for missing the 90-day service deadline, but decided to let the case proceed on its merits anyway. The state now has until May 12 to file its response. State officials aren't buying it, calling the DOJ sloppy start a red flag for handling private voter data responsibly. Washington's attorney general Bob Ferguson says he's confident they'll win in court,

1:02especially since this ties into bigger fights over election. Rules. This isn't just Washington. The feds have sued 30 states in D.C. for similar voter data, hitting mostly Democrat-led spots, but also places like Georgia and Oklahoma. A dozen or so states have already handed over lists, while a few cases got tossed, like in California and Oregon. Meanwhile, advocacy groups want in on Washington's defense, and the battle heats up with separate suits against Trump's push for a national voter. List. Judges orders are flying, so expect more twists as states push back on what they see as overreach into election privacy. Stay informed with Vancouver News today. AI-powered updates.