Common Cause will make the case for protecting voters’ sensitive data before the Nebraska Supreme Court today. 

“We are committed to protecting voters’ sensitive data and ensuring that no federal agency should have access to it, regardless of political party,” said Gavin Geis, Common Cause Nebraska Executive Director. “We’re here today because Secretary of State Evnen broke voters’ trust to protect their data from harm when he handed it over to the Department of Justice. This needs to be solved by the Nebraska Supreme Court to ensure all voters’ data will remain private and protected.” 

In September 2025, Common Cause sued Secretary of State Bob Evnen to block the release of the non-public voter file. The lawsuit argues state officials — not the federal government — must control Nebraska’s election data and releasing sensitive voter information violates both voter privacy and Nebraska law.  

Earlier this year, a district court judge dismissed Common Cause’s lawsuit. Common Cause appealed against the dismissal, and the Nebraska Supreme Court set March 31 as a hearing date for the appeal. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen released the non-public voter file to the federal Department of Justice in February, nonetheless, putting hundreds of thousands of voters at risk.