Case Summary
LWVMN, Common Cause, and two individual voters filed a motion to intervene on behalf of voters after the Department of Justice sued the Minnesota Secretary of State. The DOJ filed a lawsuit demanding Minnesota’s Secretary of State disclose private voter information, including the last four digits of their Social Security number and driver’s license numbers.
Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent requests to states demanding they disclose registered voters’ data. This data could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security for criminal and immigration investigations.
Minnesota was among the states that received these requests. The DOJ requested data that included voters’ full name, date of birth, residential address, and either their state driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The DOJ claimed the data was necessary to ensure compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and the Help America Vote Act.
Minnesota declined to provide the data, stating that the DOJ had failed to provide a valid legal basis for turning over the private data of several million Minnesotans. On September 25, 2025, the DOJ filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The DOJ sought an order requiring the MN Secretary of State to disclose the data and declaring that any state law barring disclosure was preempted by federal law.
On October 14, 2025, the League of Women Voters of Minnesota (LWVMN), Common Cause, and two individual voters filed a motion to intervene to defend voters. LWVMN and Common Cause argued disclosure of the data would threaten voter privacy, chill voter engagement, facilitate mass voter challenges, and impair the critical work of LWVMN and Common Cause.
LWVMN is represented in this matter by the ACLU of Minnesota and the ACLU Voting Rights Project.
LWV Timeline
DOJ files lawsuit
The United States Department of Justice files a federal lawsuit, asserting the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and Help America Vote Act require Minnesota to hand over private voter data to the department.
LWVMN moves to intervene
LWVMN, Common Cause, and two individual voters file a motion to intervene in the case to defend the privacy of their members and all Minnesota voters.
LWVMN files motion to dismiss
LWVMN, Common Cause and two individual plaintiffs file a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that (1) DOJ's demand for voter data failed to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1960; (2) HAVA did not provide for state voter data disclosure; and (3) any records disclosed under the Civil Rights Act of 1960 should be redacted.
District court grants LWVMN intervention
The court grants LWVMN's motion to intervene to defend voters.