Skip to content
OpenDocket

Must Washington hand its full voter list to the Justice Department?

United States v. Hobbs

Follow

At a glance

The Justice Department sued to make Washington's Secretary of State turn over the state's unredacted voter list. A judge dismissed the suit in September 2026; the United States has appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

  1. What happened · 5 steps
    1. Washington declines the federal demandSep 2025

      Secretary Hobbs refused to send the unredacted list, citing state privacy law, but offered a redacted version.

    2. Justice Department sues for the voter listDec 2025

      The United States sued under the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and later asked the court to order the list produced.

    3. Four voting groups join to defendMay 2026

      Over the government's objection, the court let four voting-rights groups join the case on the Secretary's side.

    4. Judge dismisses the suitSep 22, 2026

      The judge held the voter list is not a record the 1960 law lets the government demand, and dismissed for good.

    5. Government appealsOct 30, 2026

      The United States appealed the dismissal to the Ninth Circuit.

  2. No voter list has to be handed over

    The suit is dismissed, so Washington does not have to give the Justice Department its voter list unless the appeal succeeds.

  3. Still open

    Whether the Ninth Circuit revives the government's suit.

Where it stands

Appeal of the dismissal

The United States appeals to the Ninth Circuit. · Oct 30, 2026

The suit was dismissed in the district court, and the United States has appealed.

Follow what's happening

  1. Suit filed

    Dec 2, 2025

    The United States sues for Washington's voter list.

  2. Voting groups join

    May 18, 2026

    The court lets four voting groups defend alongside the Secretary.

  3. Motions to dismiss

    Sep 22, 2026

    Judge dismisses the suit with prejudice and enters judgment.

  4. Appeal of the dismissal

    Oct 30, 2026

    The United States appeals to the Ninth Circuit.

The parties

United States

Plaintiff; appellant

The federal government, through the Justice Department

Wants

Washington's full, unredacted voter list

Key arguments

  • The 1960 law lets it demand the state's voter list

    Rejected; on appeal. Final ruling. The judge held the law covers records officials receive, not a list they create and keep updating

  • Its demand should be enforced like a subpoena

    Rejected; on appeal. Final ruling. The judge applied the ordinary civil rules, as other courts had

Represented by

Counsel not recorded in this snapshot

Secretary Hobbs and voting groups

Defendant and intervenors; appellees

Washington's Secretary of State and four voting groups

Wants

Keep the dismissal in place

Key arguments

  • The voter list isn't a record the 1960 law reaches

    Accepted; on appeal. Final ruling. Officials create and constantly update the list; it does not come into their hands

  • Handing it over would break state and federal law

    Not reached. The judge dismissed on the threshold point and did not decide these alternative arguments

Represented by

Counsel not recorded in this snapshot

Supporting defendant and intervenors; appellees: Democratic National Committee and Former U.S. Justice Department employees and Maryland and other states

Content snapshot as of .