Filed Date: Sept. 25, 2025
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Filed on September 25, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan before Chief District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, United States v. Benson is one of six coordinated enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, against state election officials in California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Collectively, these cases seek to compel state compliance with federal voter-list maintenance and disclosure requirements under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA). Each complaint alleges that the state failed to maintain accurate voter registration rolls and refused to provide the Attorney General with complete data necessary to evaluate compliance with federal law.
The Department of Justice brought suit against the State of Michigan and Jocelyn Benson, in her official capacity as Michigan Secretary of State. The complaint alleges that, beginning with a July 21, 2025, records request, the Civil Rights Division sought Michigan’s Statewide Voter Registration List (SVRL)—including registrants’ full names, residential addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers—as well as records showing how the state maintains and updates its rolls. DOJ’s inquiry was prompted in part by irregularities in Michigan’s data reported to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in its 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), which indicated that Michigan sent confirmation notices to only 4.5% of its voters and removed just 4.2% of registered voters, both below national averages.
After multiple written exchanges, Secretary Benson declined to provide an unredacted copy of the SVRL, citing state privacy and disclosure laws. The Department contends those objections are preempted by federal law and notes that Michigan already shares similar data fields with the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multistate data-sharing consortium, undermining its claimed privacy rationale.
The complaint asserts three causes of action:
DOJ seeks declaratory relief that Michigan’s refusal to provide the unredacted voter registration data violates the CRA, NVRA, and HAVA, and that any conflicting provisions of state law are preempted. It also requests injunctive relief compelling Michigan to produce the complete electronic SVRL, including all required identifying fields, and related list-maintenance records. No monetary damages or attorneys’ fees are sought.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Michael Vandergriff (10/9/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71453329/parties/united-states-v-benson/
Jarbou, Hala Yalda (Michigan)
Neff, Eric (Michigan)
Prescott, Sarah S. (Michigan)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71453329/united-states-v-benson/
Last updated Oct. 19, 2025, 12:47 p.m.
State / Territory: Michigan
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations Involving the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 25, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
State of Michigan and Jocelyn Benson, as Secretary of State.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, State
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Civil Rights Act of 1957/1960, 52 U.S.C. § 10101 (previously 42 U.S.C. § 1971)
Help America Vote Act (HAVA), 52 U.S.C. § 20901 et seq (previously 42 U.S.C. § 15301 et seq)
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Voting: