Civil rights organizations and a New Jersey voter have filed a motion to intervene in the federal case U.S. v. Caldwell, aiming to prevent the Department of Justice (DOJ) from accessing personal information of voters in New Jersey. The League of Women Voters of New Jersey, the Latino Action Network, and an individual voter are represented by the ACLU of New Jersey and the ACLU Voting Rights Project.
Jeanne LoCicero, legal director for the ACLU of New Jersey, stated: “The DOJ’s demand for New Jersey’s unredacted voter rolls violates the law and would put voters’ private and sensitive information in the hands of officials who have been clear about their plans to abuse it. This is a dangerous attempt by the Trump administration to disenfranchise voters, especially within vulnerable communities.”
In July, the DOJ requested access to New Jersey’s full voter registration list, including names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. These details are protected under both state and federal laws. After repeated refusals from the New Jersey Attorney General, the DOJ sued the state last week.
Javier Robles, president of Latino Action Network, said: “The federal government has been brazen and reckless in its ongoing efforts to amass sensitive voter information and weaponize it for baseless attacks on voters in the name of discredited election conspiracy theories. Naturalized citizens face particular risks. LAN is fighting to protect the privacy and voting rights of our members and all New Jersey voters.”
Jesse Burns, executive director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, commented: “Protecting voter privacy is essential to preventing disenfranchisement and preserving public confidence in our elections. When voters fear that their private information is at risk, participation suffers and trust in the democratic process is weakened. That trust is not optional – it is the foundation of a healthy democracy. The League of Women Voters of New Jersey is proud to stand up against this attack against our voters.”
Caren Short, director of legal and research for the League of Women Voters added: “Voters should never fear that taking part in our democracy will put their personal information at risk. The Department of Justice’s crazed demands for states’ unredacted voter lists are an alarming overreach that jeopardizes the privacy of millions. The League is proud to step in to ensure that every voter can cast a ballot freely and without intimidation from the federal government that should be protecting them.”
Ari Savitzky, senior staff attorney with ACLU’s Voting Rights Project said: “The administration is trying to illegally hoover up voters’ private data to create a national voter database that Congress never authorized. They want to be able to harass, intimidate, or improperly challenge people’s votes, chilling civic participation. We won’t stand for it. The right to vote is sacred and we will defend it against illegal federal intervention in our elections.”
According to court filings by those seeking intervention in U.S. v. Caldwell, they argue that sharing unredacted voter rolls with federal authorities threatens privacy protections for all registered voters as well as risks potential disenfranchisement—especially among naturalized citizens or those with previous felony convictions whose eligibility might not be accurately reflected due to outdated databases.
The groups cite concerns that this move could result in an unauthorized national voter database shared with other agencies such as Homeland Security through unreliable data-matching methods.
The ACLU of New Jersey acts as a civil rights organization working across New Jersey on issues such as voting rights advocacy (source). Their work includes efforts toward systemic change through legal action related to voting rights reform (source) while centering marginalized voices (source). They also provide resources like Know Your Rights guides on topics including interactions with immigration officials (source).
