DOJ Moves to Compel West Virginia Secretary of State to Hand Over Voter Data

Federal agency seeks unredacted voter registration records, raising privacy concerns

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:55am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a solitary ballot box sitting on a wooden table, with warm sunlight streaming in through a window and deep shadows enveloping the scene, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the integrity of the electoral process.A legal battle over voter data access raises concerns about federal overreach and the privacy of West Virginia's electoral process.Charleston Today

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a motion to compel West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner to produce a statewide voter registration list, including names, dates of birth, addresses, and the last four digits of each voter's social security number. The state has repeatedly declined the DOJ's request, citing privacy concerns and the lack of a clear legal basis for the demand.

Why it matters

This legal battle over voter data access highlights the ongoing tensions between federal oversight and state sovereignty over elections. The DOJ claims it needs the information to verify voter rolls, but state officials and civil liberties groups argue the request is an overreach that could undermine trust in the electoral process.

The details

The DOJ first requested the unredacted voter data from Secretary of State Warner in September 2025, but the state declined, saying the demand lacked a clear explanation. In February 2026, the DOJ indicated it planned to run the entire West Virginia voter database through the Department of Homeland Security's SAVE system to verify citizenship status. Warner's office defended its own voter list maintenance procedures, noting over 400,000 registrations have been lawfully cancelled since 2017. On Friday, the DOJ filed a motion to compel the state to hand over the records, threatening further legal action.

  • The DOJ first requested the voter data in September 2025.
  • West Virginia declined the request in February 2026.
  • The DOJ filed a motion to compel the state on April 5, 2026.

The players

Kris Warner

The Secretary of State of West Virginia, who has repeatedly declined the DOJ's request for unredacted voter data, citing privacy concerns.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency seeking access to West Virginia's voter registration records, claiming it needs the data to verify voter rolls.

Citizen Action Group

A West Virginia-based legal advocacy organization that has expressed a willingness to assist in protecting the state's elections from federal interference.

WVACLU

The West Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Citizen Action Group in the legal battle over the voter data request.

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What they’re saying

“The federal government does have a role in protecting voting rights and expanding access. But, all they are trying to do in this instance is just sow distrust in the [electoral] process… It's all based on long-debunked conspiracies about the 2020 election.”

— Julie Archer, Deputy Director, Citizen Action Group

“I think the reason why you intervene is because you feel like the interests of the group you're intervening on behalf of aren't being represented. We want to make sure that voters are represented as this case works its way through.”

— Aubrey Sparks, Legal Director, WVACLU

What’s next

The West Virginia Attorney General's office has stated it is prepared to defend the privacy of the state's voter data in court if the DOJ serves a subpoena.

The takeaway

This legal battle highlights the ongoing tensions between federal oversight and state sovereignty over elections. While the DOJ claims it needs the voter data to verify rolls, state officials and civil liberties groups argue the request is an overreach that could undermine trust in the electoral process.