Nebraska Sued Over Voter Data Sharing with Federal Government
A lawsuit filed by Common Cause Nebraska aims to prevent Secretary of State Bob Evnen from sharing voter data with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The suit alleges the DOJ’s request violates Nebraska’s data privacy laws.
The DOJ requested states provide names, dates of birth, driver’s licence numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers for registered voters, citing a need to ensure accurate voter registration rolls. Common Cause is seeking an injunction to either halt the data transfer entirely or limit the scope of data shared.
The lawsuit comes after the DOJ sent a letter to Nebraska’s Secretary of State on September 8, setting a deadline of September 22 for data submission.the Secretary of State’s Office has stated it has not yet provided the data due to the ongoing legal challenge.
This isn’t the first time the Trump governance has sought such data from Nebraska. In 2017, then-Secretary of State John Gale declined a similar request, citing state law and data privacy concerns. A limited version of Nebraska’s voter file – including names and addresses - is publicly available for a fee, and registered voters can opt to keep their phone numbers and email addresses private.
While some states with Republican leadership are also expressing privacy concerns and resisting the federal request, the DOJ has already filed lawsuits against two Democratic-run states to compel them to release the voter data.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has indicated openness to providing the data to the DOJ. The situation presents a challenge for secretary of State Evnen, who is seeking reelection in 2026, as he balances defending the state’s elections with addressing concerns about election integrity raised since the 2020 presidential election.
omar Noureldin, senior Vice President for Policy and Litigation at Common Cause, stated the request is “part of the Trump administration’s broader playbook-using government power to target communities instead of protecting them.” The DOJ has announced plans to seek voting and election information from all 50 states.
