Secretary of State denies DOJ request for protected voter data

OLYMPIA—Secretary of State Steve Hobbs received a request from the U.S. Department of Justice, dated September 8, 2025, for all fields of Washington’s voter registration list. On Tuesday, September 23, Hobbs responded that his office can only provide the publicly disclosable information permitted under state law.

Pursuant to RCWs 29A.08.710 and 29A.08.720, publicly disclosable fields are the registrant’s name, address, year of birth, and voting history. Registered voters’ data including the last four digits of a Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and the full birth dates protected from public disclosure.

“As Washington state’s chief elections officer, I take my duty to protect voters and the sensitive information they entrust to the state very seriously,” said Secretary Hobbs. “While we will provide the DOJ with the voter registration data that state law already makes public, we will not compromise the privacy of Washington voters by turning over confidential information that both state and federal law prohibit us from disclosing.”

The DOJ cited sections of the National Voter Registration Act and Help America Vote Act in their request; however, neither act requires states must provide protected information.

The DOJ’s shifting explanations and public reporting indicate that the DOJ will use state voter files for a national database or to share with other agencies for unauthorized purposes. Hobbs said any unauthorized use by the DOJ could raise legal questions under the federal Privacy Act of 1974, which requires strict protections when creating or maintaining federal records systems.

“Our office is committed to transparency and accountability in elections,” Hobbs said. “But transparency does not mean putting the personal information of every Washington voter at risk. The law is clear, and my responsibility is to the voters of this state.”

The DOJ request is available at https://tinyurl.com/nub9zc7f, and Secretary Hobbs’ response is available at sos.wa.gov, specifically on the page at https://tinyurl.com/ytvh27j4.