April 1, 2026
Idaho reversed course on voter roll sharing — DOJ's 30th state lawsuit demands partial SSNs
The DOJ Civil Rights Division filed suit against Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane on April 1, 2026, seeking a court order compelling Idaho to turn over its statewide voter registration database. The suit was the DOJ's 30th action against a state or D.C. in a systematic national campaign. The DOJ formally requested Idaho's voter rolls in September 2025. McGrane initially appeared willing to comply, but by February 2026 reversed course, citing 'no clear legal duty' and Idaho state privacy law.
The DOJ invoked the National Voter Registration Act (Section 8(i)) and Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 as legal basis. The NVRA requires voter records available for 'public inspection.' Title III gives the AG the right to demand election records. The DOJ argued these require Idaho to provide partial SSNs and driver's license numbers. Idaho disputed that interpretation, arguing Section 8(i) requires public inspection — not federal data transmission — and that state privacy law restricts SSN disclosure.
The lawsuit is part of a coordinated national voter data campaign under Harmeet Dhillon. Since early 2025, the DOJ demanded voter registration records from all 50 states and D.C. States that agreed provided data under varying terms. Idaho was the 30th state to face a formal lawsuit after refusing full compliance. The campaign runs parallel to Trump's March 31, 2026 EO directing DHS and SSA to compile a national citizenship list.
Phil McGrane is a Republican. His initial willingness to cooperate — followed by reversal in February 2026 — put him in an unusual position: a Republican state official resisting a Republican federal administration. McGrane cited Idaho Code restrictions on voter information disclosure and argued no clear federal preemption exists for partial SSN disclosure.
Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, DOJ
Secretary of State, Idaho (Republican)