Following intervention by Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and individual Pennsylvania voters, a federal judge dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit to obtain sensitive voter data in Pennsylvania. The civil rights groups, represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, and the Public Interest Law Center, intervened in the lawsuit by DOJ in October 2025.
“The Department of Justice’s attempts to cast doubt on our elections and push for federal control have repeatedly and rightly failed because our elections are already secure and fair,” said Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “State and local officials are best equipped to protect the voting process, and as long as power remains with them, election integrity will be maintained. This ruling is a win for states, democracy, and all Pennsylvania voters who deserve to know their data and privacy are safe from the serious risks of a centralized federal database.”
“Today’s ruling is a massive victory for voter privacy and a testament to the power of organized advocacy in the face of federal overreach,” said Philip Hensley-Robin, Common Cause’s Pennsylvania Executive Director. “By standing our ground, we’ve ensured voters are protected from an unauthorized national database that would have been a goldmine for hackers and a tool for intimidation. As Judge Bussoon wrote in her decision, the Trump administration is attempting nothing less than to create ‘a nationwide voter-database, for potential weaponization in future elections.’ With this decision, our elections remain safe, secure, and in the hands of Pennsylvanians where they belong.”
“This is a great decision for Pennsylvania voters and democracy,” said Dr. Amy Widestrom, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. “When we intervened in this case, we said that the Department of Justice’s attempt to seize sensitive voter data was an overreach that threatened voter privacy, trust in, and the integrity of our elections. The court agreed. But let’s be clear: this administration is 0 for 11 in these lawsuits, and the administration continues to push these and other tactics to limit access to the ballot. One court victory does not end the threat to our democracy. We will celebrate today. But trust that the League of Women Voters of PA will stay vigilant. Pennsylvanians deserve their right to vote and access to the ballot protected and expanded, and the League will keep fighting for all voters across the Commonwealth.”
In 2025, the DOJ requested Pennslyavnia’s entire non-public voter file, including sensitive information like birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security numbers. While state officials offered to provide public data, the DOJ sued the State to force the release of these private records. Common Cause intervened, warning that an unauthorized central database would create unprecedented security risks and could be weaponized against eligible voters.
This latest loss puts the DOJ at 0-11 in voter file lawsuits.
“Again and again, federal judges appointed by presidents of both parties have rejected the Trump Administration’s efforts to commandeer states’ voter rolls,” said Ari Savitzky, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “This is a win for fair elections and a loss for this Administration’s sad and baseless efforts to sow chaos and distrust in our democracy. We look forward to more rulings like this.”
“The Department of Justice is losing in its battle to create a national voter database for President Trump,” said Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Senior Director of Litigation at Common Cause. “Common Cause is proud to lead the fight to secure people’s right to privacy and the right to vote without interference nationwide.”
“The Constitution entrusts states, not the federal government, with running elections, said Ben Geffen, senior attorney at the Public Interest Law Center. “The federal government sued Pennsylvania for following the law, and they fittingly lost this case. This will spare countless Pennsylvania voters like our clients from having their personal data compromised.”