Nevada Secretary of State prepares for DOJ election disputes

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar is preparing for potential federal interference in upcoming elections. Aguilar has reported that Nevada is the only state to receive seven voter-related subpoenas from the Department of Justice (DOJ) this year and has noted that he is personally under investigation by the agency.

A central conflict involves the DOJ demanding sensitive voter registration files, including Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and birthdays. Aguilar has refused to release this private information, citing state law and concerns over data security, noting that the DOJ has not provided guarantees on how the data would be protected. A lawsuit filed by the DOJ regarding these files was dismissed in Nevada’s district court.

To prepare for potential disruptions, such as federal agents attempting to seize ballots at polling locations, Aguilar’s office has drafted pre-prepared legal filings to allow for immediate litigation. Aguilar emphasized his commitment to following state law despite what he describes as intimidation attempts from federal authorities.