The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts and the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project have filed legal motions to prevent the Trump administration from accessing unredacted voter rolls in Massachusetts. The case, United States v. Galvin, began after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin for refusing to release detailed voter data, which includes names, birth dates, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and parts of Social Security numbers.
Earlier this year, a federal court allowed the ACLU to intervene on behalf of Juan Pablo Jaramillo, a Revere resident; Common Cause Massachusetts; and Jane Doe Inc., an organization representing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
In their recent filings, these groups argue that the DOJ lacks legal grounds to demand such sensitive information and cannot be trusted with it due to past efforts by the Trump administration to challenge election integrity. They allege that there is intent to use state voter data for building a national database aimed at disenfranchising voters.
Jessie Rossman, legal director for the ACLU of Massachusetts, stated: “In word and deed, this administration has demonstrated it wants to restrict voting access, limit participation in upcoming elections, and subvert public confidence in the results. We cannot let that happen. Voting is the ‘preservative of all other rights’ precisely because it serves as a check against tyranny. Today, we are asking the court to reject the administration’s dangerous and unlawful effort to undermine this fundamental right, which is the cornerstone of our democracy.”
The DOJ has pursued similar lawsuits in 23 states and Washington D.C., but federal courts in Oregon and California have recently denied its requests for unredacted voter rolls. Despite these setbacks, officials continue pressing state governments for compliance.
Ari Savitzky from the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project commented: “The DOJ’s pressure campaign and cascade of lawsuits — which have now been filed against nearly half the states in the nation — are a transparent attempt to intimidate voters and to build a false narrative that shakes the public trust in election results. We are proud to be leading the fight to protect voter privacy and safeguard citizens’ fundamental right to participate in our democratic process.”
The DOJ claims authority under provisions from the Civil Rights Act of 1960 but opponents say that law requires clear justification for such requests—something they argue is lacking here.
Geoff Foster leads Common Cause Massachusetts as executive director according to its official website. The organization promotes pro-democracy reforms aimed at increasing voting access across every congressional district in Massachusetts and supports government transparency. It has over 20,000 members statewide fostering grassroots engagement.
Foster said: “The Department of Justice has no valid reason to collect sensitive personal data on millions of voters across the Commonwealth. It’s clear the administration wants to use this information to fabricate false claims and conspiracy theories. We are standing up to reject these demands and protect the rights and privacy of Commonwealth voters.”
Juan Pablo Jaramillo added: “Our representative democracy can only be secured as safe, fair, and transparent for all — particularly working class voters — if states’ electoral processes are free of pressure from the federal government and we can preserve the most vital civic right, the right to vote… Given…the Trump Administration threatening…naturalized citizens like me…it is vital that I join this case…”
Hema Sarang-Sieminski from Jane Doe Inc., said: “Survivors…encounter unique obstacles when voting… The administration’s demand for this information via unredacted voter rolls is a direct threat…exposing sensitive information with potential to retraumatize survivors…and exclude them from…the voting process altogether…”
Legal documents related to this case include a motion to dismiss by intervenors opposing disclosure requirements sought by federal authorities.
