Federal courts dismiss voter registration lawsuits in Florida and Georgia

Federal courts have issued rulings in two separate states regarding voter registration and data privacy.

In Florida, U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe dismissed a lawsuit brought by Florida Rising Together and Florida Rising that sought to block the state’s “exact match” voter verification policy. The policy requires voters to verify their identity if registration details, such as names or Social Security numbers, do not match government records. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the claims, noting they could not identify individuals unable to register due to the rule. The Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Florida, which intervened to defend the law, characterized the dismissal as a victory for election security.

In Georgia, a federal judge dismissed a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The DOJ had sought unredacted statewide voter registration information, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license details. The court ruled that federal law does not require the state to disclose such sensitive information and that Georgia may comply by providing redacted lists. Raffensperger stated the decision protects the privacy rights of Georgia voters and maintains compliance with state confidentiality laws.