DECEMBER 15 UPDATE:
We’re hearing from Nevada Secretary of State Francisco “Cisco” Aguilar after the U.S. Department of Justice announced a federal lawsuit against the Secretary of State’s Office over 2020 election records.
"This is not a normal request,” Aguilar said. “This is not normal regulation. This is information that is very personal to Nevadans."
Nevada is one of four recent states to be hit with a lawsuit, bringing the total number to 18 states being sued by the Justice Department.
The DOJ says in its lawsuit that the Office is violating federal law, specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1960. We asked the Nevada Secretary of State if he feels he and his office are in the wrong.
"Absolutely not,” Aguilar said. “I think Nevada is in a position of protecting its citizens, protecting their private and personal information, and it's about pushing back on the intimidation and the federal overreach of the federal government on the states."
According to the lawsuit, back in June, the DOJ asked for Nevada voter rolls from 2020. When the Secretary of State’s Office sent the request back, some of the information was not filled out.
"The information we're trying to protect of Nevada voters are the driver's license numbers and the last four of social securities," Aguilar said
The Justice Department says that a month later, it requested that information again.
In the lawsuit, the Department of Justice says it wanted the voter rolls through an encrypted email or through its secure file-sharing system, but it’s what happens afterwards that the concerns lie.
“The problem is once they receive it, where is it being stored and who's ultimately responsible for the safety of that storage of information," Aguilar said.
It is a question the Nevada Secretary says is still not answered. Aguilar says he’s following state law and will wait until his office officially gets served before figuring out what happens next.
"My job is to follow Nevada law, and when it conflicts with federal law, it's up to the judge to determine what I'm required to do," he said.
The ACLU of Nevada filed a motion to intervene and dismiss the lawsuit. Aguilar says he and his office have not communicated with the organization about the litigation.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE (DECEMBER 12):
The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division filed a federal lawsuit against Nevada on Friday, saying the state failed to provide its statewide voter registration list when requested.
The action is part of a broader federal effort to enforce election-record laws.
According to the Department of Justice, Nevada is one of four states named in a new round of lawsuits, along with Colorado, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.
The department also filed a separate lawsuit against Fulton County, Georgia. With the Nevada action, 18 states nationwide now face similar litigation.
“States have the statutory duty to preserve and protect their constituents from vote dilution,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said. “At the Department of Justice, we will not permit states to jeopardize the integrity and effectiveness of elections by refusing to abide by our federal elections laws. If states will not fulfill their duty to protect the integrity of the ballot, we will.”
The DOJ argues that Congress granted the Attorney General authority to enforce the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act, which require states to maintain accurate voter registration lists.
Federal officials also cite the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which allows the government to request, inspect, and review statewide voter registration records.
Nevada officials, however, say the federal government is seeking sensitive voter information without explaining how it will be protected.
In a statement Friday, Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar said the DOJ is requesting data that includes driver’s license and Social Security numbers and has not provided adequate details about data security.
“The Department of Justice is making sweeping demands of states to hand over private voter data. Despite our simple requests for information on how they’re going to keep this data secure, they’ve given us no clear answers,” Aguilar said. “It’s my duty to follow Nevada law and protect the best interests of Nevadans, which includes protecting their sensitive information and access to the ballot.”
Aguilar also said the federal government is exerting pressure on states ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
“While these requests may seem like normal oversight, the federal government is using its power to try to intimidate states and influence how states administer elections ahead of the 2026 cycle. The Constitution makes it clear: elections are run by the states,” he said.
He added that Nevada will continue to run “safe, secure and accessible elections” and that he will “stand up for the rights of our voters.”
The Secretary of State's Office and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office are reviewing the federal litigation. Nevada has not yet been formally served by the DOJ.
