红杏视频

SANTA FE, NM 鈥� Today, Common Cause and two New Mexico voters joined the 红杏视频 National Voting Rights Project and the 红杏视频 of New Mexico in filing a motion to intervene in United States of America v. Toulouse Oliver to prevent the Department of Justice (DOJ) from obtaining New Mexico voters鈥� personal data. In July, the DOJ asked New Mexico to turn over voters鈥� full names, dates of birth, addresses, driver鈥檚 license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers 鈥� highly sensitive data that is protected under state and federal law. New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver previously shared only publicly available data in response to the requests but declined to share more sensitive data protected under the law. The advocates and voters argue the DOJ鈥檚 request threatens voter privacy and could enable voter disenfranchisement. They are represented by attorneys from the 红杏视频 Foundation and 红杏视频 of New Mexico. Other voters joining the case include a naturalized citizen from Colombia who moved to the United States to pursue higher education and a formerly-incarcerated advocate who championed New Mexico鈥檚 Voting Rights Act. These individuals have an interest in this case because their backgrounds place them at heightened risk of DOJ targeting, a threat that extends to countless other New Mexico voters. After federal officials acknowledged in November that the DOJ shared voter information with the Department of Homeland Security to search it for noncitizens, Toulouse Oliver joined a group of 10 other secretaries of state asking the department if it misled them about how voter information would be used. The filing highlights the threat that naturalized citizens and persons whose voting rights were restored after a felony conviction face of being wrongly flagged as ineligible voters. 鈥淣ew Mexico voters' right to privacy is protected by state and federal law, and the federal government is jeopardizing that right by seeking access to their sensitive personal information," said Megan Keenan, staff attorney with the 红杏视频's Voting Rights Project. "The Department of Justice's lack of transparency about safeguards, access, or limits on uses of voter data raises serious concerns about misuse or abuse 鈥� including risks that this information could be weaponized to justify aggressive voter purges that wrongfully remove eligible voters from the rolls.鈥� "New Mexico voters have a right to privacy in their sensitive personal information, and they have a right to vote free from intimidation and improper challenges," said Mar铆a Mart铆nez S谩nchez, legal director at 红杏视频 of New Mexico. "The DOJ's sweeping demand for private voter data鈥攔eportedly to build an unauthorized national database and enable mass voter challenges鈥攖hreatens both rights." 鈥淯nelected bureaucrats in Washington have no business accessing New Mexicans鈥� sensitive personal information,鈥� said Molly Swank, Common Cause鈥檚 New Mexico Executive Director. 鈥淗anding this data over to the federal government violates the law and would put voters鈥� private information in the hands of dangerous election conspiracy peddlers. Common Cause is fighting to protect the rights of New Mexico voters and to prevent the potential misuse of their data.鈥� 鈥淰oters in New Mexico and across the country deserve to know their personal information is secure and used only for its intended purpose of maintaining accurate records,鈥� said Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Senior Director of Litigation at Common Cause. 鈥淲e are committed to defending voters鈥� rights and privacy in New Mexico and nationwide, and this case is one of many where we are stepping in to ensure those protections are upheld.鈥� To view the New Mexico filing: https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2025/12/U.S.-v.-Oliver-Motion-to-Intervene.pdf

The Department of Justice (鈥淒OJ鈥�) sued Maryland demanding the release of its full, unredacted voter file, which includes the highly sensitive and personal data of every voter in the state. This suit appears to be part of DOJ鈥檚 effort to build a national voter database without congressional authorization, improperly question the validity of state voter rolls, and intimidate eligible voters in Maryland and around the country.

Great Falls, Mont. 鈥� On December 15, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana approved a settlement reached in Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation v. Chouteau County, Montana that will provide Tribal citizens the opportunity to elect a representative of their choice to the Chouteau County Board of County Commissioners. In August, the Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation and two Native voters filed a lawsuit challenging Chouteau County鈥檚 unfair, at-large voting system for the Board of County Commissioners. The system unlawfully diluted the voting strength of Native voters and has denied them representation on the county commission for more than a decade, even though they make up approximately one-third of the county鈥檚 voting-age population. Under the terms of the settlement, the Tribal Nation鈥檚 reservation will be part of Chouteau County鈥檚 District 1, which will elect a representative to the Board of County Commissioners through a single-member district election. 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased that the county did the right thing in giving the Chippewa Cree Tribe a chance to elect a representative to the Board of Commissioners,鈥� said Chippewa Cree Tribe Chairman Harlan Gopher Baker. 鈥淚t has been more than a decade since we have had a Native voice in county politics. We look forward to being a part of this conversation.鈥� 鈥淭his case was about our community finally having a representative and a voice like other voters in the county,鈥� said plaintiff and voter Tanya Schmockel, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. 鈥淚 am excited about finally having the chance to have our voices heard and our concerns addressed.鈥� Most of Chouteau County鈥檚 Native population lives on or near the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation, and many critical local issues 鈥� such as infrastructure, road maintenance, and emergency services 鈥� require coordination between the county and Tribal governments. 鈥淚n order for our county to include all of us, we needed a fair election system. With the new district, we have a chance for our voters to elect a commissioner who understands Native issues,鈥� said plaintiff and voter Ken Morsette, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. 鈥淭his is a huge step forward for our Tribe.鈥� Native American Rights Fund (NARF), 红杏视频 Foundation Voting Rights Project (红杏视频), and 红杏视频 of Montana (红杏视频-MT), represent the plaintiffs in this case. 鈥淔or too long, Native voters in Chouteau County were shut out of meaningful representation,鈥� said Theresa J. Lee, senior staff attorney with the 红杏视频 Voting Rights Project. 鈥淐ounty commissioners shape policies that affect daily life, including budget decision-making, supervising public service departments, and so much more. This agreement acknowledges what our clients have always known: every voter deserves an equal opportunity to shape the government that serves them." 鈥淭his settlement and the district that it creates is a huge improvement for the entire county,鈥� said NARF Staff Attorney Samantha Blencke. 鈥淗aving a representative board allows the county commissioners to better address the concerns of all their constituents. We congratulate the county for doing the right thing and the Native voters and Chippewa Cree Tribe who insisted that they, rightfully, have a seat at the table.鈥� 鈥淲ith this settlement, Native voters of the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation finally have a fair opportunity to elect a representative to the Chouteau County鈥檚 Board of Commissioners,鈥� said Akilah Deernose, Executive Director of the 红杏视频 of Montana. 鈥淚ndigenous voters in Montanan should not need to go to court to secure the same rights and privileges as non-Native voters. Until then, the 红杏视频 of Montana will continue to fight for every Montanan鈥檚 constitutional and statutory rights.鈥�