A coalition of voting rights organizations, including the ACLU National Voting Rights Project, the ACLU of Georgia, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, has filed a motion to intervene in the case United States v. Raffensperger. The motion seeks to prevent the Department of Justice (DOJ) from obtaining personal data of Georgia voters.
The DOJ had requested access to information such as full names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers from Georgia voters. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger declined this request, citing state and federal laws that protect sensitive voter data.
According to the groups involved in the filing, sharing this information with federal authorities could undermine voter trust and potentially lead to disenfranchisement among vulnerable populations, including naturalized citizens. Rosario Palacios, Executive Director of Common Cause Georgia and a naturalized U.S. citizen represented in the case, expressed concern about these risks.
“Unelected bureaucrats in Washington have no business accessing Georgia voter’s sensitive personal information,” said Rosario Palacios. “Handing this data over to the federal government violates the law and would put voters’ private information in the hands of dangerous election conspiracy peddlers. Common Cause is fighting to protect the rights of Georgia voters and to prevent the potential misuse of their data.”
Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Senior Director of Litigation at Common Cause, added: “Voters in Georgia and across the country deserve to know their personal information is secure and used only for its intended purpose of maintaining accurate records. We are committed to defending voters’ rights and privacy in Georgia and nationwide, and this case is one of many where we are stepping in to ensure those protections are upheld.”
William Hughes from the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project commented on concerns regarding how voter data might be used: “Georgians have a fundamental right to vote without fearing that their most sensitive personal information will be exposed or misused, and the DOJ’s refusal to explain how this data will be used or protected is deeply concerning. We’re drawing a firm line in the sand: voters’ private information is not a political bargaining chip.”
Bradley Heard from SPLC stated: “Protecting voter privacy is not a partisan issue–it is a matter of public trust, election security and democratic integrity. Georgia voters share personal information with the clear expectation that it will only be used to facilitate elections in their own state. For that reason, Georgia’s secretary of state must continue to exercise caution and restraint, rejecting any requests from the federal government that unnecessarily place voter data at risk or remove it from the state. Safeguarding Georgia voters–and their personal information-from scrutiny is the SPLC’s top priority.”
Akiva Freidlin from ACLU of Georgia highlighted historical challenges related to voting rights: “For generations, too many Georgians have had to fight to protect the right to vote. And preserving that right includes safeguarding Georgia voters’ private data from government officials who may use it in invasive and unlawful ways.”
Common Cause has also taken similar legal actions elsewhere by filing lawsuits or motions related to protecting voter data in Nebraska as well as joining cases involving Colorado, New Mexico, Maryland, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.
To read more about these efforts or view related documents regarding motions filed by Common Cause on behalf of state residents concerned about voter privacy issues visit their official website.
