DOJ releases legal rationale for nationwide voter data collection

The Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel issued a 41-page memo asserting federal authority to collect and retain state voter records—citing statutes like the Civil Rights Act, HAVA, the NVRA, and the Voting Rights Act—to investigate ineligible (including non-citizen) voters; the memo has been widely criticized by courts, state election officials, and voting experts, and many states have refused to hand over sensitive voter data, resulting in litigation and political dispute.