PRESS RELEASE: EPIC and civil rights groups sue Alaska Division of Elections for sharing unredacted voter registration list

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alaska and the ACLU Voting Rights Project, filed a lawsuit challenging the Alaska Division of Elections’ (DOE) unconstitutional actions when it shared Alaska’s unredacted Voter Registration List with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in December 2025. The plaintiffs represented in the suit are the League of Women Voters of Alaska and the Alaska Black Caucus.

In May 2025, the DOJ issued demands for full, unredacted voter rolls from almost every state and the District of Columbia in a reported effort to create an unauthorized national voter database. The State of Alaska complied with this effort, agreed to share constitutionally protected information with the DOJ, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) where the state also agreed to promptly “clean” its voter list at the DOJ’s later instruction. Alaska was in the minority when it complied with this demand; twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia refused to share the sensitive information contained in their voter registration lists.

The State of Alaska agreed to share confidential information, including the full name, date of birth, residential address, state driver’s license number, or the last four digits of the voter’s social security number. Revealing this information puts Alaskans’ identities and voting records at risk.

The suit contends that the disclosure of sensitive voter information to the DOJ violates Alaskans’ right to privacy and that the actions agreed to in the MOU conflict with voter list maintenance requirements under Alaska law, risking the unlawful disenfranchisement of Alaska voters.

Marianne Mills, Co-President for the League of Women Voters of Alaska:

“Protecting voters’ confidential information is a non-partisan issue. Alaskan voters must be able to trust that the agency tasked with administering our statewide elections is doing everything in its power to protect Alaskans’ privacy and lawful right to vote.”

Celeste Hodge Growden, President and CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus:

“The Alaska Black Caucus is deeply concerned that the actions of the Alaska Division of Elections undermine the very core of our democracy by risking the disenfranchisement of voters. Sharing unredacted voter registration data not only invades the privacy of Alaskans but also threatens to silence the voices of those who have fought tirelessly for their right to vote. We stand united in this lawsuit to protect the rights of all Alaskan voters and to ensure that their personal information remains secure.”

Eric Glatt, Legal Director for the ACLU of Alaska:

“The right to vote and our right to privacy are two core values held dear by Alaskans. Rather than fiercely defending the rights of Alaska’s voters, our Division of Elections acceded to federal overreach. Now, we are asking the court to step in and ensure that DOE upholds its constitutional and legal obligations to Alaskans.”

Theresa J. Lee, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project:

“Alaskans have a right to participate in our democracy without fear that their most sensitive personal information will be exposed or misused. By handing over unredacted voter data and participating in a federal power grab that could trigger improper voter roll purges, the state has put both privacy and democracy at serious risk. Elections depend on trust in our systems, and that trust is undermined when the government treats voters’ personal information as expendable.”

John Davisson, Deputy Director and Director of Enforcement for the Electronic Privacy Information Center:

“Voters rightly expect public officials at all levels of government to safeguard their privacy. When Washington fails at that task, states must hold the line. We’re proud to help Alaskans hold the Division of Elections accountable and fight to protect our democracy.”

In the filing, the plaintiffs are seeking a court order for the DOJ to destroy its copies of the Alaska voter registration list that were shared, to void the MOU, and prevent the transmission of any further unredacted voter roll information to the DOJ.

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ABOUT EPIC

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) was established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. Our mission is to secure the fundamental right to privacy in the digital age for all people through advocacy, research, and litigation.

EPIC has long worked to draw attention to the serious and ongoing risks of AI, including through reports, model bills on chatbots, state testimony, and more. Our work on AI is people- and privacy-centered, pushing for responsible AI use and development.