Oregon Attorney General Defends Voter Privacy in Ninth Circuit Challenge

Attorney General Dan Rayfield of Oregon argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the federal government lacks authority to compel the state to turn over unredacted voter registration files that contain sensitive personal information, including partial Social Security numbers, dates of birth and driver’s license numbers. Rayfield said the request is a “backdoor” that would undermine voter rights and state control of elections.

The case, United States v. Oregon, follows a January 2026 district‑court ruling that dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit on the same grounds. The Trump administration has sued 29 states and Washington, D.C. in a broader effort to obtain unredacted voter files, but the Oregon ruling held that federal law does not require disclosure. The Ninth Circuit hearing marks one of the first appellate reviews of the administration’s demand.

Oregon officials emphasized they will continue to protect voter data while maintaining secure, fair elections, and they urged the court to uphold the privacy protections affirmed by the lower court.