D.D.C.Court order
D.C. judge vacates DOJ voter roll policy as unauthorized, arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act
U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan vacated the Justice Department's Voter List Maintenance Policy on Oct. 9. She held that the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the NVRA and HAVA did not authorize it, and found it arbitrary and capricious under the APA and contrary to the Privacy Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act. The court granted partial summary judgment to Common Cause and individual voters.
Opinion (Democracy Docket) → · The Hill, Courthouse News Service
Key points
- Judge Sooknanan held that neither the Civil Rights Act of 1960 nor the NVRA nor HAVA authorized DOJ to demand voter rolls.Democracy Docket
- The 78-page opinion found DOJ relied on the SAVE database despite knowing it contained outdated citizenship records from the Social Security Administration.Democracy DocketThe Hill
- The court rejected DOJ's claim that registered voters were subjects of federal law enforcement investigations under Privacy Act disclosure exceptions.Democracy DocketDemocracy Docket
- Judge Sooknanan granted partial summary judgment to plaintiffs, denied DOJ's cross-motion, and vacated the challenged policy nationwide under the APA.Democracy DocketCourthouse News Service
- Democracy Docket reported the court rejected DOJ's request to limit relief to the plaintiffs; the order is an appealable final order.Democracy DocketDemocracy Docket
Sources4 articles across 3 outlets
Democracy Docket
Courthouse News Service
The Hill