The U.S. Department of Justice suffered its 17th legal defeat on Thursday in an ongoing push to acquire state voter rolls, as a federal judge appointed by Donald Trump dismissed a civil rights lawsuit against Kentucky election officials. U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom tossed out the federal government’s enforcement action against Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams and the Kentucky State Board of Elections with prejudice, meaning federal attorneys cannot simply refile the complaint.
The latest court filing centers on a sweeping federal demand for sensitive voter data, including partial Social Security numbers and driver’s license records.
Kentucky now joins a long roster of jurisdictions, including several Republican-controlled states, where federal courts have blocked the Justice Department’s pursuit of state election databases.
Federal Demands Fall Short Under Sixth Circuit Precedent
Judge Boom’s ruling relies heavily on a recent decision handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit regarding Michigan’s voter rolls. In that proceeding, the appellate court determined that a state’s self-generated voter list does not constitute a record that “comes into” the official possession of election administrators under the specific statutory framework cited by federal prosecutors.
According to court documents, the Justice Department’s demand letters sent to Kentucky officials between July and August 2025 were nearly identical to the deficient notices dispatched to Michigan. Federal law mandates that any such records request must explicitly outline both a legal basis and a specific purpose in writing. Judge Boom found that the three letters sent to Kentucky failed to satisfy these basic statutory requirements, noting that one communication cited entirely incorrect laws while another stated a purpose without providing any underlying legal justification.
The dismissal with prejudice brings a definitive end to the litigation in Kentucky, shielding state databases from federal extraction. Secretary Michael Adams, a conservative Republican who has previously faced criticism from hardliners within his own party for expanding voting access, successfully defended the state’s position by leaning on established statutory boundaries.
A Pattern of Judicial Setbacks Across Multiple States
The Kentucky decision marks the 17th time a federal court has turned away the Justice Department’s voter file campaign.
Next Steps for State Election Authorities
With the dismissal finalized, Kentucky election officials maintain full custody of their state voter files without federal interference.
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