CCNM News:
SANTA FE — Following a concerted, multi-state legal effort by Common Cause to safeguard the private information of millions of voters, a federal judge Tuesday dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit to obtain sensitive voter data in New Mexico.
Common Cause and a coalition of individual voters led the charge by filing the original motion to halt this federal overreach and ensure that New Mexico’s sensitive data remains secure.
“Today’s ruling is a massive victory for voter privacy and a testament to the power of organized advocacy in the face of federal overreach,” said Molly Swank, Common Cause’s New Mexico Executive Director. “By standing our ground, we’ve ensured that voters are protected from an unauthorized national database that would have been a goldmine for hackers and a tool for intimidation. Our elections remain safe, secure, and in the hands of New Mexicans where they belong.”
In 2025, the DOJ requested New Mexico’s entire non-public voter file, including sensitive information like birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security numbers. The DOJ sued the State to force the release of these private records. Common Cause intervened, warning that an unauthorized central database would create unprecedented security risks and could be weaponized against eligible voters.
The DOJ has filed parallel lawsuits in 30 states and Washington D.C. as part of a politically-charged national effort to take over election administration. So far, DOJ has taken blow after blow. 14 other federal courts have also rejected the DOJ’s efforts to obtain private voter data.
“Every voter deserves to know their personal information is secure, protected, and used only for its intended purpose of maintaining accurate voter registration records,” said Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Senior Director of Litigation at Common Cause. “Common Cause will continue to lead the fight to ensure our freedom to privacy is upheld nationwide and to stand up against DOJ’s efforts to take over election administration.”
