By SUZANNE DOWNING
April 22, 2026 – The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska and allied left-leaning advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the Alaska Division of Elections, alleging the state unlawfully shared sensitive voter data with the US Department of Justice.
The lawsuit, filed in coordination with the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the ACLU Voting Rights Project, challenges the state’s December 2025 decision to provide the federal government with an unredacted version of Alaska’s voter registration list. The plaintiffs in the case are the League of Women Voters of Alaska and the Alaska Black Caucus.
According to the complaint, the dispute stems from a broader request issued by the Department of Justice in May 2025, when federal officials sought full voter rolls from nearly every state and the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs characterize the effort as an attempt to create a national voter database without proper authorization. Alaska was among a minority of states that complied; 29 states and the District of Columbia declined to provide the requested information.
At issue is the scope of data shared. The lawsuit alleges that Alaska transmitted highly sensitive personal information, including voters’ full names, dates of birth, residential addresses, driver’s license numbers, and in some cases the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The plaintiffs argue that releasing this information exposes voters to privacy risks and potential misuse.
The legal challenge also targets a memorandum of understanding signed between the state and federal government. Under that agreement, Alaska reportedly committed to assist in future voter list maintenance efforts at the direction of the Department of Justice, including potential “cleaning” of voter rolls. The plaintiffs contend that such provisions conflict with Alaska law and could lead to improper removal of eligible voters.
Marianne Mills, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Alaska, said safeguarding voter information should transcend political divisions and is essential to maintaining trust in elections.
Yolandous “Doyle” Williams, board chair of the Alaska Black Caucus, said the group is concerned the data-sharing arrangement could undermine voter participation and disproportionately impact communities that have historically fought for access to the ballot.
Attorneys involved in the case argue the issue touches on two fundamental rights: privacy and voting access. Eric Glatt, legal director for the ACLU of Alaska, said the state failed to defend those interests when it agreed to the federal request. Theresa J. Lee of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project added that the sharing of unredacted data could erode public confidence in elections.
John Davisson said the case raises the question of whether states have an obligation to resist federal overreach when “privacy” is at stake.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to order the Department of Justice to destroy any copies of Alaska’s voter registration data it received, void the memorandum of understanding, and prohibit any future sharing of unredacted voter information.
