Civil Rights Groups, Maryland Voters File Motion to Protect Voters’ Privacy

Annapolis, MD — Common Cause, Out for Justice, and three Maryland voters joined the ACLU National Voting Rights Project and the ACLU of Maryland on Friday in filling a motion to intervene in United States of States of America vs. Demarinis to prevent the DOJ from obtaining Maryland voters’ personal data.

In July, the DOJ asked Maryland to turn over voters’ full names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers — highly sensitive data that is protected under state and federal law.

The intervenors argue that the DOJ’s request threatens voter privacy and could enable voter disenfranchisement. They are represented by attorneys from the ACLU of Maryland and the ACLU Foundation.

Carl Snowden, a voter intervenor and convener of the Caucus of African American Leaders, said:

“The DOJ effort to secure my private voting information concerns me deeply. As someone who had my privacy rights violated by the federal government through COINTELPRO surveillance in my youth, I understand the dangers when federal officials abuse their power. I’m also concerned about the privacy and voting rights of other Maryland voters, especially new Maryland residents, naturalized citizens, and returning citizens newly involved in the democratic process.”

Other voters joining the case include a naturalized citizen originally from Haiti and an Army veteran whose voting rights were recently restored after a felony conviction. All three individuals have a strong interest in this case because their backgrounds place them at heightened risk of DOJ targeting, a threat that extends to countless other voters as well.

The motion cites media reports indicating that the DOJ plans to share voter data with the Department of Homeland Security to support criminal and immigration investigations and notes the involvement of individuals who have previously attempted to overturn election results or promote mass voter challenges.

The filing also warns that disclosure would undermine grassroots voter registration efforts by discouraging registration and forcing advocacy groups to divert resources to address fear, confusion, and potential disenfranchisement.

“Unelected Washington bureaucrats obsessed with spreading election conspiracies have no right to your private data,” said Joanne Antoine, Common Cause's Maryland Executive Director. “This directive recklessly puts voters’ private data at risk so the Trump Administration can score cheap political points. Common Cause will keep fighting to protect voters’ data privacy.”

“Voters in Maryland and across the country deserve to know their personal information is secure and used only for its intended purpose of maintaining accurate records,” said Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Senior Director of Litigation at Common Cause. “We are committed to defending voters’ rights and privacy in Maryland and nationwide, and this case is one of many where we are stepping in to ensure those protections are upheld.”

“Out For Justice will not allow the federal government to weaponize voter information and intimidate the very Marylanders whose rights we have fought so hard to secure,” said Trina Selden, Out For Justice Founder and Executive Director. “We’re committed to ensuring eligible incarcerated and returning citizens can register and express their freedom to vote.”

"Maryland voters have a right to privacy in their sensitive personal information, and they have a right to vote free from intimidation and improper challenges,” said Deborah Jeon, Legal Director for the ACLU of Maryland. “The DOJ's sweeping demand for private voter data—reportedly to build an unauthorized national database and enable mass voter challenges—threatens both rights."

“DOJ’s unprecedented demand for highly sensitive, personal information from every voter in Maryland is a barely disguised attempt to intimidate eligible voters,” said Jonathan Topaz, Staff Attorney at the ACLU Voting Rights Project. “It is also contrary to law. We are intervening in this case to ensure that DOJ cannot infringe on Marylanders’ voting rights or misuse their personal data for improper mass voter purges in the future."

Common Cause previously filed a lawsuit in Nebraska to protect state voter data and has joined with the ACLU Voting Rights Project to file motions to intervene as defendants in DOJ lawsuits against Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota for failing to turn over their voters’ private data.

View the Maryland filing here: https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2025/12/008-Motion-to-Intervene.pdf

View this press release online here: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/civil-rights-groups-maryland-voters-file-motion-to-protect-voters-privacy