A federal judge in Rutland has thrown out the U.S. Department of Justice’s effort to gain access to Vermont’s voter rolls, the latest setback for the Trump administration’s push to exert federal control over elections.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Lanthier ruled Thursday that federal officials overstepped their authority in demanding access to the data and dismissed the case.
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas refused last summer to turn over the list, arguing that elections are the purview of the state and she was prohibited by law from turning over the sensitive personal information.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights division sued her in December. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark came to her defense.
The two state officials issued a joint statement following the ruling.
“The court made clear: The Trump Administration had no authority to demand access to the sensitive personal information of voters — including home addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security and driver’s license numbers,” they wrote. “Vermont lawfully and correctly refused the Federal Government’s demand, and today’s ruling affirms our efforts to protect the privacy and voting rights of Vermonters from unlawful federal overreach.”
The ruling was not a surprise. To date 24 states have successfully resisted the demand.
The decision comes just two days after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the federal government’s plan to add new requirements for mail-in ballots ahead of the November 3 election.
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group and other organizations had joined the Vermont attorney general in seeking to block the DOJ’s demand.
“The Department of Justice’s fishing expedition in Vermont is over,” executive director Paul Burns said in a statement. “VPIRG members and all Vermonters can rest a little easier tonight knowing that the Trump administration will not gain access to the state’s sensitive voter registration files.”
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
