In brief
U.S. District Judge Ashley Royal dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit against Georgia's Secretary of State over voter information, ruling it was filed in the incorrect district. This dismissal allows the Justice Department to refile the lawsuit as part of its broader effort to obtain voter data from multiple states, while Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, defends against the release of confidential information citing state law.
ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge in Georgia on Friday dismissed a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit seeking voter information from the state, ruling the federal government had sued in the wrong city.
U.S. District Judge Ashley Royal found that the government should have initiated proceedings against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in Atlanta instead of the separate federal district court in Macon, where the secretary of state also maintains an office.
Royal dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, permitting the Justice Department to refile it. The department declined to issue a comment following the ruling.
The Justice Department has initiated lawsuits against 24 states and the District of Columbia in its quest for voter information as part of its efforts to collect detailed voting data, which includes sensitive data such as dates of birth and drivers' license and Social Security numbers. Previous attempts in California were dismissed on privacy concerns, with Oregon's case also facing dismissal.
The Trump administration has framed these lawsuits as efforts to safeguard election integrity, asserting that the states in question are violating federal mandates by withholding voter lists and pertinent information.
Raffensperger has notably rejected these demands, citing Georgia law, which restricts the release of confidential voter information unless specific legal criteria are satisfied. He has shared publicly available portions of the voter rolls and details on how Georgia manages questionable or outdated registrations since December.
I will always follow the law and follow the Constitution, Raffensperger stated. I won’t violate the oath I took to stand up for the people of this state, regardless of who or what compels me to do otherwise.
The action against Raffensperger’s office has also become a contentious topic within his candidacy for the 2026 gubernatorial election. He is well remembered for his refusal in January 2021 to comply with a request from former President Trump to find enough votes to overturn the results in state ballots.
Senator Randy Robertson, a Republican from Cataula who has been active in filing resolutions against Raffensperger, expressed disappointment with the ruling stating it prolongs the resolution of this pressing issue surrounding voter transparency.
