In a victory for voters, a federal judge dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit seeking Vermont’s complete voter file, which contains voters’ driver’s license numbers, partial Social Security numbers and other private information.
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) filed successful motions to intervene and dismiss in United States v. Copeland Hanzas, a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice against the Secretary of State of Vermont Sarah Copeland Hanzas for refusing to provide the department with the state’s unredacted voter file.
VPIRG intervened in the lawsuit to protect Vermont voters’ privacy and is represented by Campaign Legal Center, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, and Wilschek Iarrapino Law Office PLLC.
“The Department of Justice’s fishing expedition in Vermont is over. VPIRG members and all Vermonters can rest a little easier tonight knowing that the Trump administration will not gain access to the state’s sensitive voter registration files,” said Paul Burns, executive director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group.
“Today’s dismissal is a victory for Vermont voters and the rule of law. The Constitution is clear: The states and Congress have the power to set the rules around our elections, not the president or DOJ,” said Kate Hamilton, legal counsel for strategic litigation at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. “Federal courts across the country continue to reject DOJ’s unlawful power grabs, and we are glad the court checked this federal overreach in Vermont.”
”Now the federal government is 0 for 24 in its lawsuits seeking state voter files and all of the confidential information they contain," said Patrick Berry, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. “Today’s ruling is another win for voters. Vermonters can be confident that the state’s voter rolls will remain protected.”
Last year, the Department of Justice requested Vermont’s complete voter file. Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas replied that she couldn’t comply unless the department confirmed that it would follow federal and state privacy laws when managing voters’ information. In response, the Justice Department filed suit in December 2025.
United States v. Copeland Hanzas is one of more than 30 lawsuits the Justice Department has filed nationwide seeking copies of voter rolls including driver’s license numbers and partial social security numbers in 30 states and the District of Columbia. The DOJ has now lost 24 of those cases in federal district courts and has not won any.
In addition to Vermont, Campaign Legal Center and the Brennan Center are working together against the Justice Department’s lawsuits seeking voter files from states across the country.
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