A new lawsuit claims the Alaska Division of Elections improperly shared unredacted voter data with the U.S. Department of Justice, raising concerns about privacy and voting rights.

Lawsuit Challenges Data Sharing Practices

The ACLU of Alaska, EPIC, and the ACLU Voting Rights Project are challenging the data transfer, arguing it violates the Alaska Constitution and federal due process protections. The legal challenge centers on the state’s response to a federal request from the DOJ related to election law compliance.

Details of the Data Transfer

The state provided a comprehensive list of eligible registered voters, including full names, dates of birth, residential addresses, and either driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The ACLU argues this level of data sharing exceeds legal boundaries and poses a risk to voter privacy.

State Officials Defend Data Release

Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, who oversees the Division of Elections, authorized the release of the voter data. State officials maintain their actions were compliant with federal mandates, specifically the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and existing Alaska state laws.

Legislative Scrutiny and Justification

A legislative hearing was held in Juneau to scrutinize the legality of the decision. Rachel Witty, Director of Legal Services for the Department of Law, explained the DOJ’s enforcement authority is broad and the request was interpreted as a means of enforcing HAVA compliance.

Concerns Over Potential Disenfranchisement

Critics contend the scope of the request and the extent of the data shared were excessive. The lawsuit names Dahlstrom and Carol Beecher, the Director of Elections, as respondents, alleging Beecher was prepared to update the state’s voter list based on DOJ instructions.

Plaintiffs express concerns the DOJ’s actions could lead to the arbitrary disenfranchisement of Alaskan voters. They argue the only legally permissible grounds for voter registration cancellation in Alaska are death or a felony conviction.

Lawsuit Demands and Reactions

The lawsuit seeks a court order acknowledging the unlawful violation of the Alaska Constitution’s Privacy Clause and Due Process protections. It also demands the state ensure the destruction of the shared data by the DOJ and requests reimbursement of legal fees.

Yolandous “Doyle” Williams, Board Chairman for the Alaska Black Caucus, emphasized the potential for voter suppression, stating the data sharing violates privacy and threatens voting rights. The Alaska Division of Elections and Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom have not yet issued a public response.

This case raises questions about the balance between federal oversight of elections and individual voter rights, with potential implications for data privacy and voting rights nationwide.