ICYMI: DNC Warns Ten States That Agreements With Trump’s DOJ Would Violate Federal Election Law Arrow

On Friday, the DNC sent warning letters to ten states' Board of Elections or Secretary of State offices urging them to reject pressure from the Trump DOJ to hand over sensitive, unredacted voter files. The letters outline how the agreements these states are reportedly negotiating with the Trump DOJ violate federal election law, specifically the National Voter Registration Act, and would commit these states to violating federal protections that ensure eligible voters are not mistakenly purged from voter rolls.

In the letters, the DNC makes clear that Democrats stand ready to protect voters across the country and fight back against any violations of federal election law.

Take a look at some of the coverage below:

On Broadcast:

KOLN Nebraska: "The Democratic National Committee has threatened to sue the state over any potential agreement with the Justice Department that would require election officials to remove allegedly ineligible voters identified during federal reviews of state voter rolls. According to the Nebraska Examiner, the DNC sent a letter this morning warning the state and the secretary of state about federal constraints on voter registration list maintenance. The letter urges the state not to remove any voters from the list of eligible federal voters. This comes after the Nebraska secretary of state confirms in court filings that he intends to release the state's voter file to the federal government on February 12, unless the court orders otherwise."

KTLA: "The DNC has sent letters to officials in 10 states urging them to reject a Justice Department request for unredacted voter files. The DNC says the DOJ request aimed at removing ineligible voters from the rolls violates federal election law and could lead to errors, forcing the DNC divert funds from other priorities."

KTVX:"The Democratic National Committee is threatening to sue the state of Utah over a pending agreement to share private voter information to the DOJ, warning they could be breaking the law. … The DNC says that violated two provisions of the National Voter Registration Act. So the DNC is calling on Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson to pull out of the agreement and share any communication between Utah and the DOJ."

WSPA: "The DNC sent this letter to the state election commission. It warned officials that they may have violated federal law when they entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to share voter data. The DOJ is seeking information, such as names, birth dates, addresses, driver's license numbers, and the last four digits of social security numbers…… The DNC claims the move could lead to eligible voters being purged from the rolls."

KTVX: "The Utah Democratic Party says the DOJ is overstepping its authority. They say the fFed's quote, 'protecting election integrity is more about intimidation and suppression rather than any sense of protecting integrity,' and that Utah voters did not consent to having their personal information turned over to the DOJ without proper consent. [Utah Democratic Party Chair] Brian King adds, though election integrity is important, there are already state- level laws to protect both voter privacy and Constitution rights. They fear the voter rolls could be used for partisan goals that could lead to unlawful name removal."

Spectrum News San Antonio: "The DNC is sending a letter to Texas, claiming it violated the National Voter Registration Act. This comes after the Secretary of State handed over the state's voter roll to the Justice Department last month. The DOJ says it's part of an effort to enforce voting laws requiring states to maintain voter lists and remove ineligible voters. The DNC says in its letter that the DOJ can only inform states about voters who have moved on or died that are still on the rolls. It also warns Texas that states cannot systematically remove voters 90 days before a federal election."

KEYE: "Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin says it's a privacy violation that could lead to eligible voters being kicked off the rolls. The DNC is warning it could take legal action against the DOJ."

In Print:

Axios: Exclusive: DNC warns states on Trump DOJ voter roll request

[Julianna Bragg, 1/12/26]

"The Democratic National Committee on Thursday sent letters to officials in 10 states urging them to reject a Justice Department request for unredacted voter files.

"The DNC is warning states that the proposed agreement - which would require election officials to remove any alleged ineligible voters found during a federal review of voter rolls - violates federal election law. …

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from voter rolls,' DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.

"'To be clear: Democrats stand ready to fight back and defend voters, and we're prepared to use the tools at our disposal to do so.'"

Alabama Political Reporter: DNC warns Alabama secretary of state over potential federal voting law violations

[Josh Moon, 1/9/25]

The Democratic National Committee on Friday sent a warning letter to the Alabama Secretary of State's Office indicating that it would file legal action against the state should it carry through with its apparent intentions to enter a memorandum of understanding that could lead to violations of the National Voting Rights Act. …

"As part of their big government power grab, Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states like Alabama to hand over their voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution," Martin told APR in a statement. "The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Alabama voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Alabama's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on the Alabama Secretary of State to stand up for Alabamians and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement. To be clear: Democrats stand ready to fight back and defend Alabama voters, and we're prepared to use the tools at our disposal to do so."

Mississippi Today: National Democrats warn Mississippi about sharing voter files with Trump DOJ

[Taylor Vance, 1/9/26]

"The Democratic National Committee on Friday sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Watson's office warning that the state is on the verge of violating federal voter-protection laws over a potential agreement to share Mississippi voter files with the Department of Justice. …

"Ken Martin, the chairman of the DNC, said in a statement that the Trump administration wants to force states such as Mississippi to hand over voter files so it can create a national database with sensitive personal information such as driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation.

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Mississippi voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Mississippi's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on the Mississippi Secretary of State to stand up for Mississippians and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement,' Martin said."

KSDK: DNC warns Missouri that DOJ deal could wrongly drop voters from rolls

[Mark Maxwell, 1/12/26]

"The Democratic National Committee is warning Missouri election officials that a proposed agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice could break federal election law and lead to eligible voters being wrongly removed from the rolls ahead of the 2026 election."

Nonstop Local: DNC tells Montana to expect legal action if state hands over election files

[Bradley Warren, 1/9/26]

"Early Friday the Democratic National Committee's litigation team shared a warning letter to the Montana Secretary of State asking her to reject requests from Trump administration officials within the Department of Justice to hand over Montana's voter file. …

"'Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states like Montana to hand over their voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution,' DNC Chair Ken Martin said via email release, 'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Montana voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Montana's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on the Montana Secretary of State to stand up for Montanans and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement.'"

Nebraska Examiner: DNC threatens to sue Nebraska over potential deal to remove voters flagged by feds

[Juan Salinas II, 1/9/26]

"The Democratic National Committee has threatened to sue Nebraska over any potential agreement with the Justice Department requiring election officials to remove allegedly ineligible voters identified during federal reviews of state voter rolls.

"The letter, obtained by the Examiner, was sent Friday morning, says the DNC wants to 'ensure' the state and the secretary of state are aware of federal constraints on voter registration list maintenance and wants the state not to pursue any 'unlawful removals from its official list of eligible voters in elections for federal office.'"

Post and Courier: SC election officials threatened with legal action if they comply with Trump DOJ voter-roll deal

[Caitlyn Bryd, 1/9/26]

"National Democrats warned South Carolina election officials that a Justice Department push to purge voter rolls could violate federal law, signaling they are prepared to sue if any eligible voters are affected in the Palmetto State. …

"DNC Chair Ken Martin called the Justice Department's request a 'big government power grab,' saying it would allow the Trump administration to build a national voter database containing sensitive personal information, including driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers and party affiliation - raising concerns about privacy and potential political retaliation.

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ seeks access to South Carolina voters' sensitive information and puts eligible voters at risk of being wrongly purged from the rolls,' Martin said in a statement to The Post and Courier."

The Dakota Scout: DNC threatens South Dakota over voter data sharing with Trump administration

[Joe Sneve, 1/9/26]

"South Dakota will face legal action if state voter rolls are turned over to President Donald Trump's administration.

"That's the threat the Democratic National Committee made Friday to the South Dakota secretary of state, warning cooperation in a White House initiative to inspect voter registries in all 50 states would violate federal election laws."

The Tennessean: TN sends voter data including SSNs to DOJ, and DNC threatens lawsuit

[Vivian Jones, 1/9/26]

"On Jan. 9, the Democratic National Committee sent a warning letter to Secretary of State Tre Hargett expressing concerns over the 45-day purge deadline and threatening to take legal action if Tennessee enters into an agreement with the Trump administration.

"DNC Chair Ken Martin accused the Trump administration of using the investigation as an effort to create a national voter database with personal information like driver's license and social security numbers, 'opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution.'

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Tennessee voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Tennessee's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on the Tennessee Secretary of State to stand up for Tennesseans and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement,' Martin said."

Texas Tribune: Texas hands over complete list of registered voters to Trump administration

[Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas Tribune, and Gabby Birenbaum, 1/9/26]

"In a letter to Nelson dated Friday and obtained by Votebeat and The Texas Tribune, the Democratic National Committee said the move to hand over the voter roll could violate federal election law.

"DNC Chair Ken Martin said the turnover of such data is tantamount to a 'big government power grab' and would invite privacy violations and could result in eligible voters being kicked off the rolls. The DNC, he said in a statement, 'won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Texas voters' sensitive information.'"

Deseret News: DNC threatens legal action if Utah sends voter rolls to Justice Department

[Lauren Irwin, 1/9/35]

"The Democratic National Committee sent a letter early Friday to the office of Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson regarding the Trump administration's request for the state's voter registration files.

"The DNC is telling Henderson that if she does not reject the pressure from the Department of Justice to provide Utahns' voter information, legal action will follow. …

"DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement to the Deseret News that the DNC does not want Utah voters' sensitive information to be exposed while active voters could possibly be purged from the lists.

"'To be clear: Democrats stand ready to fight back and defend Utah voters, and we're prepared to use the tools at our disposal to do so,' Martin's statement said."

ABC4: DNC sends letter to Utah Lt. Governor warning of federal law violations if Utah sends voter info to DOJ

[Abigail Jones, 1/9/26]

"On Friday, the DNC sent a letter to Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson about a pending agreement between the state and the DOJ, warning that Utah would be violating federal voting laws if it sends private voter information to the DOJ.

"Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called this a 'big government power grab' from Donald Trump and Pam Bondi, accusing them of wanting to create a national database with sensitive personal information based on private voter data.

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Utah voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Utah's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on Lieutenant Governor Henderson to stand up for Utahns and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement. To be clear: Democrats stand ready to fight back and defend Utah voters, and we're prepared to use the tools at our disposal to do so,' Martin said."

KOLN: Nebraska Secretary of State responds to DNC letter involving voter data

[KOLN Staff, 1/9/26]

"Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Enven responded to a letter on Friday from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), noting a lawsuit over voter information.

"In the letter, the DNC claims that Evnen is breaking federal election law, and that Nebraska is negotiating an agreement with the Trump administration that includes handing over sensitive voter file information to the DOJ. …

"DNC Chair Ken Martin said that this is a part of a big government power grab, to force states to hand over voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information.

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to Nebraska voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from Nebraska's voter rolls, which is why we are calling on the Nebraska Secretary of State to stand up for Nebraskans and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement.'"

Dallas Morning News: Texas officials send Justice Department complete list of state's registered voters

[Aarón Torres, 1/9/26]

"In letters to election officials, the Democratic National Committee said the agreements appear to conflict with the National Voter Registration Act by pressing states to remove voters during the law's 90-day quiet period before an election, raising fears of unlawful purges.

"DNC Chair Ken Martin said Democrats are prepared to take legal action, accusing the DOJ of seeking sensitive voter data that could undermine privacy and suppress turnout."

Democracy Docket: DNC warns states that complied with DOJ voter roll demand may have violated federal law

[Matt Cohen, 1/9/26]

"Democrats warned 10 states Friday that they may have violated federal election law after entering into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to share sensitive voter data.

"In letters to election leaders in each of these states - which include Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah - Democratic National Committee (DNC) litigation director Daniel Freeman warned that entering into such an agreement 'appears to require violations of the [National Voter Registration Act]' - most notably a provision that bars states from removing voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election. …

"DNC chair Ken Martin said the committee is 'prepared to use the tools at our disposal' should states violate federal election law by signing these agreements and unlawfully sharing private voter data with the DOJ.

"'As part of their big government power grab, Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states to hand over their voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution,' Martin said in a statement. 'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from voter rolls, which is why we are calling on Secretaries of State and election officials across the country to stand up for voters and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement.'"

Washington Times: DNC threatens lawsuits against states that cooperate with feds to scrub voter rolls

[Stephen Dinan, 1/9/26]

"The Democratic National Committee warned 10 GOP-led states Friday that it will sue them if they cooperate in a Trump administration effort to clean up their voter rolls.

"The states are reportedly working on agreements that would have the feds scour their registration lists, looking for ineligible voters, and then the states would agree to boot those people from the rolls within 45 days.

"'As part of their big government power grab, Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states to hand over their voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution,' he said in a statement."

Newsweek: Map Shows States That Have Handed Over Voter Information to Trump Admin

[Giulia Carbonaro, 1/11/26]

"In a letter to Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) litigation director, Daniel Freeman, claimed that the state's decision to hand over voters' information to the Justice Department could potentially violate federal law. …

"'Through this letter, the DNC aims to ensure that Texas is fully aware of federal constraints on voter registration list maintenance and will forbear from unlawful removals from its official list of eligible voters in elections for federal office,' he wrote. …

"DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement: 'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from voter rolls. To be clear: Democrats stand ready to fight back and defend voters, and we're prepared to use the tools at our disposal to do so.'"

Raw Story: 'Huge violation of privacy': Dems declare war against Trump admin over latest move

[Jessica Corbett, 1/10/26]

"Daniel Freeman, the DNC's litigation director, sent letters to election leaders Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah "to address an imminent violation of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)," pointing to Neff's comments about the MOU. …

"In a Friday statement, DNC Chair Ken Martin accused Trump and US Attorney General Pam Bondi of a 'big government power grab' aimed at gathering 'sensitive personal information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution.'

"'The DNC won't stand idly by as the Trump DOJ tries to get access to voters' sensitive information and put eligible voters at risk of being wrongfully purged from voter rolls, which is why we are calling on secretaries of state and election officials across the country to stand up for voters and reject the Trump administration's illegal agreement,' he said.