Organization files suit over DOJ request for Nebraska voter data

LINCOLN, Neb. — A U.S. Department of Justice request for voter data is facing some pushback in Nebraska.

The organization Common Cause filed a lawsuit to stop the Nebraska secretary of state from releasing voter information to the DOJ.

The data the federal government requested states to hand over includes voters’ full names, birthdays, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers.

Voting rights groups in Nebraska said the federal government needs to stay out of handling that kind of sensitive data.

"State law protects our information for good reason. Will Secretary Evnen be responsible if this information is hacked? Will taxpayers be on the hook to pay any settlements? We’re calling on the secretary to protect Nebraskans’ personal information and comply with state law to keep all of us safe from fraud and abuse of our data," said Gavin Geis, Common Cause Nebraska Executive Director.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen has said he intends to release the voter information to the DOJ by February 12, unless he receives legal counsel telling him to do otherwise. However, common cause said Nebraska’s solicitor general confirmed that the secretary of state will not release any voter information to the DOJ while the lawsuit is pending.

A hearing on an injunction in Common Cause’s lawsuit is scheduled for next week.