By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued requests for voter information to numerous states, encompassing both Republican and Democratic-led jurisdictions. Some states were offered access to the federal SAVE database to verify their voter lists. However, legal concerns have been raised by election law experts, who suggest that the request may violate the 1974 Privacy Act. Both Democratic and Republican officials across the country have rejected the DOJ’s requests, citing concerns about the federal government’s overreach into state electoral processes.
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In Disturbing Move, Trump’s DOJ Demands Voting Data From States, a move that has set off alarm bells across the political spectrum. The core of the issue revolves around the Department of Justice, during the Trump administration, requesting sensitive voter information from all 50 states, specifically the last four digits of voters’ Social Security numbers. The stated aim was to cross-reference this data with a database of noncitizens held by the Department of Homeland Security. However, the implications of such a request, and the context in which it’s being made, are what make it so deeply concerning.
The very nature of this request raises immediate questions. Why is the federal government, which isn’t directly responsible for running elections, suddenly so interested in this data? The federal elections are state-run, so the need to collect the information feels unwarranted. Many see it as a thinly veiled attempt to create a federal voting database, a tool that could be misused for a variety of purposes. The concern is that this data could be used to target voters, potentially based on their party affiliation. The fear is that Democrats, or any group that does not support Trump, could become the primary targets for harassment or voter suppression.
The past behavior of the Trump administration, and the individuals involved, only fuels these concerns. This isn’t the first time such a request has been made. Back in 2017, Trump’s own “voter fraud commission” failed in its attempts to collect the same data. The fact that the administration is trying again, even when states are largely resistant, suggests a persistence that is troubling. There is also the concern of election integrity. The push to obtain this data is seen by many as a precursor to efforts to manipulate the midterms, something already being attempted through actions like gerrymandering and closing polling stations, and also the January 6th insurrection.
The potential consequences of such a database are far-reaching. It could lead to a loss of anonymity for voters, making them vulnerable to targeted harassment and intimidation. The database might also facilitate the purging of voters from rolls, effectively disenfranchising them. There’s a clear risk of selective enforcement of voting laws. The administration’s actions can also be seen as an attempt to undermine states’ rights, as they seek to dictate how elections are run at the local level. The precedent set by this behavior is alarming.
States are pushing back against this request. Minnesota, among others, flatly refused to comply. This refusal is a strong stance and a testament to the belief that the federal government has no business collecting such personal data. The pushback is critical, as it is essential to upholding the integrity of the democratic process and preventing voter suppression. This is a battle for states’ rights, where the red states may have a different approach than the blue states.
One must consider the practical implications of this move, too. What can they really do with just the last four digits of the Social Security number? The numbers are relatively limited, and that alone doesn’t allow one to cross-reference with other systems. A database of this size is not easily managed. It is a blunt instrument, and unlikely to provide any actionable information.
The move has triggered a broad feeling of unease, from those who believe the 2020 election was fair to those who believe the election process is flawed. The sense is that this is a cynical ploy. The attempt to collect voter data is seen as a calculated move designed to sow distrust, suppress votes, and undermine the democratic process. This situation is a symptom of a much larger problem: the erosion of faith in the democratic system. The Trump administration’s request for voting data is not just a technical matter; it is a test of the very foundations of American democracy.