Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking Utah voter records

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to obtain Utah’s confidential voter registration records, ruling that federal law does not authorize the demand.

The Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City houses the lieutenant governor's office, which oversees Utah elections. A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking confidential voter registration records, a ruling federal officials plan to appeal. Photo by Robert Cutt.

U.S. District Judge David Barlow issued the ruling Friday, October 23, siding with Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, who had refused to release sensitive voter information.

The Justice Department confirmed Saturday that it intends to appeal.

The dispute began in 2025 when federal officials requested Utah’s unredacted voter records, including dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. Henderson provided publicly available information but withheld protected data, citing state privacy laws.

The Justice Department argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 entitled it to the records. Barlow disagreed, ruling that the law did not authorize access to Utah’s statewide voter database. He dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, without deciding whether disclosure would violate state privacy laws.

Henderson welcomed the decision, saying her office would continue protecting voter information and maintaining secure elections.

The ruling came one day after Henderson disclosed that the Justice Department had notified Utah it would send federal election monitors to observe the November 3 general election.

Federal election monitoring is an established Justice Department practice used to evaluate compliance with voting rights laws. Henderson said she had not been told how many monitors would be assigned or where they would be stationed.

There has been no announcement indicating whether monitors will be present in Kane County.

In Kane County, early in-person voting continues October 26-30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the County Clerk’s Office, 76 N. Main St. in Kanab.

Election Day voting will be available November 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Kane County Courthouse in Kanab and the Kane County North Event Center, 475 E. State St. in Orderville.

Voters can check their registration status and find election information at vote.utah.gov or contact the Kane County Clerk’s Office at 435-644-2458.