OLYMPIA, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has declined a request from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking access to the state’s voter registration database, including sensitive personal information.
In a letter sent Tuesday, Hobbs cited “legal and privacy concerns” under state law, stating that the DOJ’s request lacked sufficient legal justification and risked violating voter confidentiality.
“I take very seriously the responsibility to safeguard highly personal voter information protected from disclosure under both Washington and federal law,” Hobbs wrote.
The DOJ had requested access to information such as voter ID numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The department claimed the request was to ensure compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
Hobbs responded that such data is not subject to public disclosure and that the federal laws cited by the DOJ do not support “production of such highly sensitive voter registration information.”
Secretary Hobbs also expressed deep skepticism about the DOJ’s reasoning for requesting sensitive voter data.
“While you claim in your September 8 letter that the purpose of this request is to ascertain Washington’s compliance with the list maintenance requirements of the NVRA and HAVA, I have significant concerns that this is not the real reason for your request,” Hobbs wrote.
Hobbs pointed to “public reporting” and speculation that the DOJ may be attempting to build a national voter database or share voter records with other federal agencies for purposes not authorized by law. Such actions could violate the Privacy Act of 1974, Hobbs argued.
KIRO Newsradio has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
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