US federal court rulings on voter registration and privacy

Federal courts have issued rulings regarding voter registration and data privacy in Florida and Georgia.

In Florida, a U.S. District Judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Florida Rising Together and Florida Rising that challenged the state’s “exact match” voter verification policy. The policy requires identity verification if registration details do not match government records. The court ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing because they could not identify specific individuals unable to register due to the rule.

In Georgia, federal courts dismissed legal efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain unredacted statewide voter registration information, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license details. While the DOJ invoked Title III of the Civil Rights Act, the court ruled that federal law does not require the state to disclose such sensitive information and that the act does not supersede state privacy laws. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stated the decision protects voter privacy and maintains compliance with state confidentiality laws.