Litigio
Common Cause v. Evnen
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Nebraska Voter Data Lawsuit: Common Cause vs. Secretary Bob Evnen (2026)
Last year, Common Cause sued Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen to block the release of the state’s non-public voter file to the Department of Justice.
The Legal Authority of States to Protect Sensitive Voter Data
By law, states, not the federal government, have the authority to maintain their voter files, which contain sensitive information including full names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license and partial Social Security numbers. However, the Trump administration has been on a quest to collect these databases to assemble their own master voter file, a move that threatens the integrity of our elections y risks disenfranchising many Americans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Most states have resisted pressure from the DOJ to hand over voter data – and are now being sued for it by the administration – but some, like Nebraska, have fallen in line. That’s why Common Cause filed a lawsuit against Secretary Evnen, seeking to stop him from giving the Trump administration access to sensitive data on voters in his state.
Nebraska Supreme Court Hearing: The Fight for Election Integrity
While a district court initially dismissed the lawsuit, Common Cause kept fighting for Nebraska voters, and quickly, the Nebraska Supreme Court agreed to hear the case on March 31, 2026.
Unfortunately, Secretary Evnen has already released the Nebraska voter file to the DOJ, a move that jeopardizes fair and free elections in his state.
What is at risk when states hand over sensitive voter data to the DOJ?
Trump has repeatedly signaled his willingness to undermine our democracy to stay in power. Whether continuing to spread disproven conspiracies about the 2020 election o calling on Republicans to “nationalize the voting,” he has shown time and again that winning is more important to him than a fair and free democracy.
Demanding state voter files is another attempt to undermine states’ statutory power to manage elections, and the disenfranchisement that the Trump administration could carry out with a master national voter file is deeply concerning.
How Strategic Voter Purges Threaten the 2026 Midterms
A list like this could be used to conduct strategic and widespread purges of eligible voters from voter rolls, including purges that are targeted based on factors like location, age, and gender in an effort to gain a partisan advantage.
DOJ and DHS Data Sharing: Impacts on Immigrant Communities
And given the Department of Homeland Security’s cruel attacks on immigrants and communities of color, regardless of their citizenship status, a potential federal database like this poses even greater risk – already, the DOJ has acknowledged that it is sharing voter information with DHS. Knowing that the federal government has collected a database of sensitive information could intimidate potential voters from these communities and prevent them from registering to vote.
That’s why Common Cause takes these demands so seriously, and why we will continue to fight them across the country, including in the Nebraska Supreme Court.
F.A.Q.
Why is Common Cause suing Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen?
Common Cause filed a lawsuit against Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen to prevent the release of the state’s non-public voter file to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The organization argues that under current law, states—not the federal government—hold the sole authority to maintain and protect voter files. The lawsuit aims to safeguard the privacy of Nebraska residents and prevent the creation of a “master voter file” by the federal government, which critics argue could be used to undermine election integrity.
What sensitive information is included in the Nebraska voter file?
El Nebraska voter file contains highly sensitive, personal data that is typically shielded from the public to protect citizen privacy. This includes:
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Full names and home addresses
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Dates of birth
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Driver’s license numbers
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Partial Social Security numbers
The release of this data to federal agencies raises significant concerns regarding identity security and the potential for targeted voter intimidation.
How could a national voter database impact the 2026 midterm elections?
There are growing concerns that a master national voter database could be used to carry out strategic voter purges ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. By analyzing data based on age, gender, and location, the administration could potentially remove eligible voters from the rolls to gain a partisan advantage. This move threatens the “fair and free” nature of elections by disenfranchising specific demographics of the American electorate.
Why is the DOJ sharing voter data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)?
The DOJ has acknowledged sharing voter information with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a move that advocates say could be used to intimidate immigrant communities and communities of color. Even for naturalized citizens or legal residents, the knowledge that a centralized federal database exists may discourage individuals from registering to vote or participating in the democratic process due to fears of surveillance or administrative retaliation.
