Oregon Election Officials Demand Answers on How Feds Use Voter Information

SALEM, Ore. (Nov 18, 2025) — Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read has joined Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and eight other state election officials in requesting clarification from federal agencies about the sharing and potential use of sensitive voter registration information.

The group sent a letter Friday to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after DHS disclosed it had received voter data from DOJ. DHS oversees agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The move raised concerns among some state officials who had previously declined requests for unredacted registration lists.

“This is exactly why I refused to give up Oregonians’ private voter data,” Read said. “I’m concerned that they are not properly securing this data and that it could be misused.”

Earlier this year, DOJ requested unredacted statewide voter registration files from multiple states, which would have included dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers and full driver’s license numbers. Read declined the request, citing a lack of federal authority.

According to the letter, DOJ officials told state election leaders during an Aug. 28 call that the information would be used solely to verify compliance with federal elections laws, including the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act. However, DHS later confirmed it had received the data and planned to enter it into the SAVE system, which is typically used for citizenship verification — despite a prior denial that the data had been received.

In response, DHS emphasized that the data is intended to improve the accuracy of federal immigration and voter-related records and that it is handled according to strict security protocols. A DOJ spokesperson said the agency routinely works with state officials to ensure compliance with federal election laws and that it provides guidance on the secure handling of voter data.

The Secretaries of State are seeking answers regarding how the data is being used, who has access to it, and what safeguards are in place. They requested a response by Nov. 21.

Signatories of the letter include Secretaries of State from Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.