Nebraska to Hand Voter Data to DOJ After Court Declines to Block Transfer

The DOJ has sought detailed voter registration information from states nationwide, saying the data is needed to assess compliance with federal election laws.

Ballots for the primary elections are arranged by party affiliation at the Lancaster County Election Committee offices in Lincoln, Neb., on April 14, 2020. Nati Harnik/AP Photo

Nebraska’s Republican secretary of state is moving ahead with plans to turn over sensitive voter registration data to the Department of Justice (DOJ) after the Nebraska Supreme Court declined to block the transfer—even as it agreed to hear the underlying case later this spring.

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Feb. 11 denied a request for an emergency injunction from watchdog group Common Cause Nebraska that would have prevented Secretary of State Bob Evnen from sharing voter data while legal challenges proceed. The court also set an expedited hearing on the case for March 31.