Voter lists: what are they?
Each state manages a list of registered voters, used to verify eligibility and manage elections.
Beginning in July 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sent requests to several states seeking copies of their voter registration lists and related records. The DOJ said the requests were intended to review voter records and assess whether states are complying with federal requirements to keep voter rolls accurate and up-to-date.
Some states have declined to provide the full voter data with the DOJ. In public statements, state officials cited concerns about sharing residents’ personal identifying information and have argued that state and local election officials already maintain voter records effectively.
While all states have laws that allow releasing voter lists with limited personal information, the DOJ’s request is for full lists, including private information.
From September 2025 to February 2026, the DOJ has filed lawsuits against 29 states and Washington, DC, that have not complied: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The DOJ has sued 29 states and DC for not providing voter lists.
States that have been sued by the Department of Justice for not providing voter rolls, March 2026
The DOJ has not published a full list of states that it has requested records from, or which states have complied with the request.
What is a voter list and what is it used for?
A voter list (sometimes called a voter roll) is the official record of people registered to vote in a state. It’s also referred to as a state’s voter registration database or voter files.
Election officials use voter lists to administer elections and manage voter registration records. The lists help officials verify voter eligibility, estimate how many ballots to print, communicate with voters about their polling places, and how many election materials to send.
Officials maintain the lists on an ongoing basis, which involves updating voter information to keep records accurate for federal elections. They can also use up-to-date records to review for inconsistencies or potential irregularities.
Who maintains voter lists?
States manage their voter registration lists, but federal law sets rules for how those lists must be maintained. Two laws shape those requirements: the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA).
NVRA requires states to keep voter lists accurate and up to date. It also limited when voters can be removed and established procedures for voter removal. HAVA then required states to create centralized, computerized statewide voter registration lists and establish procedures to verify voter information.
So while those laws set federal standards for how states maintain voter records, election administration is up to state and local election officials.
Do all states have voter lists?
All states and Washington, DC, maintain voter registration lists.
Voter lists are usually associated with registering to vote, which is required in every state except North Dakota.
Instead of requiring voter registration, North Dakota verifies voter eligibility at the polls every Election Day by using an approved form of identification.
But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t manage a statewide list: Chapter 16.1-02 of North Dakota’s elections code establishes a “central voter file,” which is an electronic voter database managed by local auditors and overseen by North Dakota’s secretary of state.
What information is on voter lists?
Each state manages their registration requirements and therefore retains varying voter information.
As of 2023, all states and Washington, DC, kept a voter’s name, address, and date of birth on file.
The next most common voter info was a voter’s phone number (maintained by 45 states and DC), and some combination of a driver’s license, social security number (full or partial). Thirty-two states and DC maintained a voter’s email address.
Around half of states kept a voter’s sex or gender on file, and nine states documented a voter’s race or ethnicity.
All states and DC retain a voter's name, address, and date of birth in voter records.
Personal information in voter files by state, 2023
It was also not uncommon for a state to keep prior information in a voter’s file, like prior names or maiden names (15 states), prior addresses (seven states), or prior voter registration information (24 states).
Although some voter data is available upon request, individual state laws dictate what voter information can be given. Many states stipulate, for example, that a typical voter file request would not include private information like a voter’s social security number.
Thirty-two states and Washington, DC, maintain a voter’s party affiliation on file as of January 2026, a requirement for voter registration in those states.
Party affiliation is required in 32 states and in DC.
States that require party affiliation as part of voter registration, January 2026
Where does this data come from?
Where does this data come from?
Voter information data is compiled by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which is an independent commission established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The commission develops guidance to help states meet federal election requirements, sets voluntary voting system standards, certifies voting systems, and audits state and territory usage of federal election funds. It also maintains the national mail voter registration form and serves as a central information source on election administration. The EAC is led by four presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed commissioners and reports to Congress on its activities and progress.
Their voter information page “Voter Lists: Registration, Confidentiality, and Voter List Maintenance” was last updated on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, and contains the following voter roll related information, by state: what information is available in voter files, who can request a voter file, what info from a voter file can be given, and what voter information is confidential. This table was last updated in January 2023.
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