Iowa has shared voter registration data — including sensitive personal information — with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Secretary of State Paul Pate announced Tuesday.
Pate said he provided the information to the DOJ because the state must comply with federal law.
“We are legally obligated to comply with the request, but we do not take the obligation to turn this information over lightly,” Pate said in a statement. “The Department of Justice has assured us that the data will be protected appropriately under federal law, and we expect them to uphold that promise.”
Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the DOJ has demanded voter registration data from states, including voters’ partial Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers, raising concerns about data privacy.
DOJ officials have said they intend to use the data to check for deceased and noncitizen voters, something states already do.
Pate said in a March 5 letter to the DOJ that he would not sign an agreement promising to cancel the voter registration of Iowans deemed ineligible by federal officials, citing potential conflicts with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. He said his office will follow the National Voter Registration Act and state law when deciding how to handle any voter registration issues flagged by the DOJ.
“It is well-established fact and law that states are responsible for elections and voter list maintenance, and we urge the federal government to keep that in mind as they execute their duties to prosecute federal election misconduct,” he said.
The Gazette in Cedar Rapids first reported Iowa’s compliance with the DOJ’s request. Pate said the state’s voter list was “securely transferred” to the DOJ “in accordance with federal law.”
The information provided to the DOJ includes Iowa voters’ driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.
Iowa voter registration data that is typically made available to the public includes name, date of birth, party affiliation and address, according to a spokesperson for the secretary of state.
At least 13 other states have agreed to provide their full voter registration data to the DOJ, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The DOJ has sued 30 states for refusing to provide the data.
Pate said in his letter to the DOJ that Iowa has already increased its ability to receive data from third-party agencies, including the federal SAVE system, to verify the eligibility of registered voters.
“That work will continue apart from the data comparisons that your office plans to conduct,” he said.
Pate added he will continue to monitor court decisions in the DOJ’s lawsuits against other states. Federal judges in six states have dismissed the lawsuits, according to the University of Wisconsin’s State Democracy Research Initiative, and Oklahoma reached a settlement with the DOJ and agreed to provide its voter data.
Ryan Peterman, the Democrat challenging Pate in this year's election, said Pate's decision is "indefensible."
"Iowa voters have a right to konw that their sensitive personal data, including driver's license numbers and Social Security numbers, will be handled with care and kept confidential," Peterman said. "Unfortunately, Secretary Pate has willingly handed that information to the federal government, and we have no idea how it will be used or kept safe. It is a complete dereliction of duty from our chief election official in Iowa, who is tasked with protecting our most sensitive information."
Peterman said Pate should have joined the 30 states that have fought back against the DOJ's demands.
