Voter Data Dispute: Judge Barlow Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Against Utah Official

The federal judiciary has become a recurring obstacle for the Trump administration's efforts to standardize voter records across state lines. On Friday, District Judge David Barlow dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. The ruling marks the latest setback in a series of legal battles over access to state-level voter data.

The Justice Department sought a complete database of Utah voters, including names, birthdays, addresses, and driver's license numbers or the last four digits of Social Security numbers. Barlow dismissed the complaint with prejudice, preventing the department from refiling the same claim. The decision is one of more than 25 defeats the administration has suffered in voter-roll litigation since it began its push to address alleged illegal voting.

Federal lawyers argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 requires officials to make voting records available for federal inspection if they come into their possession. Barlow cited a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that found an ordinary English speaker would not say an official comes into possession of data she created and maintained. The judge rejected the DOJ's counterargument that the law's purpose required a broad interpretation of the term possession.

Barlow, whom President Trump appointed to the federal bench in 2019, previously worked as a Republican congressional lawyer, a federal prosecutor, and a private attorney. He stated that judges have no warrant to elevate vague invocations of statutory purpose over the words Congress chose. A DOJ spokeswoman told Fox News Digital that the department would appeal the decision, noting that the only appellate court to review the issue had split on largely partisan grounds.

Henderson, who serves as the state's top election official, wrote on Threads that her office would continue to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the fundamental right to free, fair, and secure elections. She expressed appreciation for the ruling that dismissed the lawsuit seeking to force the disclosure of private voter data. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The administration has charged several individuals with illegal voting but has not yet uncovered evidence of widespread fraud. The DOJ maintains three pending cases related to voter rolls in Hawaii, Idaho, and Delaware. It is also appealing losses in California and Oregon. The dismissal in Utah occurs days ahead of the midterm elections, intensifying the legal and political debate over federal oversight of state election records.