Nebraska to give voter data to Justice Department after state Supreme Court ruling

Nebraska will give its voter data to the Justice Department on Thursday, after the state Supreme Court ordered the information to be handed over.

Nebraska GOP Secretary of State Bob Evnen told The Associated Press that court refused to block the release of the voter information on Wednesday.

He said that the data is being sent to the DOJ so it can assess whether Nebraska is complying with federal voting laws, noting that the Nebraska Attorney General's office had advised that the federal request “was lawful and proper.”

Evnen's office will upload the information electronically to the DOJ, and will include a request that privacy laws be observed, he added.

He said in a written statement released by his office that he is dedicated to protecting voters' personally identifiable information from misuse.

When asked if he was positive that Nebraska voter information would be kept secure and not lead to legitimate voters being kicked off voter rolls, Evnen said, “The only thing I'm positive of is that the sun won't catch in a tree when it sets tonight.”

He also said that the state would not remove people from voter rolls based solely on DOJ recommendations, but that election officials would conduct their own investigation and contact anyone tagged for removal from the rolls.

A state judge last week dismissed a lawsuit filed by government watchdog Common Cause, which sought to stop the release of voter information, including dates of birth, addresses, and partial Social Security numbers, to the DOJ.

“This case threatens the unprecedented and unlawful release of highly sensitive information of every Nebraska voter,” lawyers for Common Cause wrote in a court filing. “Once the data is released, that bell cannot be unrung.”

The DOJ last year began pushing states to turn over their voter data and other election information, suing at least 23 states and Washington, D.C., in its effort to obtain voter roll information.