Organizations rush to Massachusetts' defense in DOJ voter information lawsuit

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on Dec 27, 2025

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BOSTON — A political advocacy group has filed to be an intervenor on behalf of Massachusetts in a lawsuit brought this month by the Department of Justice over the refusal of 22 states to provide the federal government with private voter data and information.

Common Cause has filed a motion in U.S. District Court, in partnership with a Massachusetts voter named Jaun Pablo Jaramillo, whose rights are “directly threatened,” they say; the ACLU; and Jane Doe Inc., to intervene as defendants in the DOJ lawsuit filed against Secretary of State Bill Galvin. The organizations explain in court documents that they seek to protect Massachusetts voters from having their private information given to the federal government and to protect those ineligible to vote because of being illegal immigrants or felons.

“Proposed Intervenors have a strong interest in preventing the United States’ requests for unfettered and total access to the most sensitive aspects of Massachusetts’s non-public voter data from being used to harass and potentially disenfranchise voters,” a memorandum filed in support of the motion reads.

The Trump administration launched a federal probe into state voter information in May 2025.

It sent letters to 40 states demanding they provide the “full electronic voter file,” including information related to “registered voters identified as ineligible to vote” because of being illegal immigrants or having a felony conviction, the state’s voter registration and list maintenance procedures, how elections officials process applications to vote by mail, and how they verify registered voters are not ineligible to vote. The administration says it is requesting the information to root out voter fraud and ensure election integrity.

The DOJ sent a letter to Galvin on July 22 requesting Massachusetts voter information, giving the office 14 days to respond. Galvin’s office replied by requesting 60 days to issue a response. The DOJ sent Galvin another letter on Aug. 14, again demanding the information. Galvin’s office finally, on Dec. 4, informed the DOJ it would not be providing the requested voter information. The DOJ filed its lawsuit against Galvin and his office on Dec. 17.

The federal government is specifically requesting voters’ full names, dates of birth, residential addresses, and state driver’s license numbers or the final four digits of social security numbers.

“States have the statutory duty to preserve and protect their constituents from vote dilution,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon in a news release announcing the lawsuit. “At this Department of Justice, we will not permit states to jeopardize the integrity and effectiveness of elections by refusing to abide by our federal elections laws. If states will not fulfill their duty to protect the integrity of the ballot, we will.”

Dhillon and the Civil Rights Division are also notably suing one locality — Fulton County, Georgia — for records related to the 2020 election, one that President Donald Trump has claimed was “rigged” in the favor of Democrats.

But Common Cause and the ACLU argue that the Trump administration is simply trying to gather the data and create a national voter roll in order to surveil and weaponize it against illegal immigrants and naturalized citizens, among others.

“This isn’t just abt (sic) one state. It’s part of a broader push to collect & centralize voter data in ways Congress never authorized. Once that data is pooled, it’s easier to misuse, misinterpret & weaponize, esp (sic( against naturalized citizens & voters whose rights were restored,” Head of Policy and Litigation for Common Cause, Omar Noureldin, posted Friday on X. “Voting should not come with a surveillance clause. Massachusetts now joins Colorado, New Mexico, Maryland, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Same fight. We’ll keep showing up.”

In the meantime, Galvin has filed a petition to put same-day voter registration on the ballot in 2026. The measure would allow eligible individuals to register to vote or update their voter registration on election day by just showing a proof of residency and signing a written oath at their local polling location.

The Herald has reached out to the Secretary of State’s Office for comment.