A federal appeals court dealt a setback to the Trump administration on Wednesday, ruling that Michigan is not required to turn over sensitive voter data to the Justice Department. The decision from a divided three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals centers on the limits of federal authority under Title III of the 1960 Civil Rights Act.
The court found that the law does not empower the Justice Department to compel states to provide unredacted voter rolls containing personal information such as dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers. The ruling marks the latest in a series of legal defeats for the administration's push to obtain detailed voter data from states across the country.
Judicial Divide on Federal Power
The majority opinion was written by Judge Andre Mathis, an appointee of President Joe Biden, and joined by Senior Judge R. Guy Cole Jr., a Clinton appointee. They argued that the Civil Rights Act provision was never intended to give the federal government broad authority to demand voter data without clear statutory backing.
Judge John Nalbandian, a Trump appointee from his first term, dissented, signaling a sharp ideological split on the panel. The dissent did not alter the outcome, but it underscores the partisan fault lines in the ongoing legal battle over voter data access.
Broader Legal Campaign
The Justice Department has filed lawsuits against 30 states and the District of Columbia in an effort to force compliance with its data demands. Those cases have been repeatedly dismissed at the district court level. In addition to Michigan, the administration has lost similar fights against California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, Wisconsin, Maine, and Maryland.
The legal strategy has drawn criticism from voting rights advocates and state officials who argue that the demand oversteps federal authority and risks exposing private voter information. The Trump administration has countered that access to voter rolls is necessary to ensure election integrity.
Political Implications
The ruling comes amid broader tensions over voting access and election administration. The Trump administration has also pursued other measures, such as a plan to block mail ballots in states that refuse to share voter data, as part of its push to tighten election security. In Michigan, a key battleground state, the decision could have ripple effects as the state prepares for upcoming elections.
The case also highlights the ongoing debate over federal versus state control of election processes. With the 2024 election cycle approaching, the ruling may embolden other states to resist similar demands. The Justice Department has not indicated whether it will appeal the 6th Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court.
What's Next
Legal experts expect the administration to continue its push in other jurisdictions, but the string of losses at the circuit level suggests a difficult path ahead. The Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on the core question of whether Title III authorizes such data requests. For now, Michigan voters can rest assured that their personal information will remain protected from federal scrutiny.
