Newark, NJ – A federal judge appointed by former U.S. President Joe Biden has dismissed a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit that sought access to New Jersey voter registration records, marking a legal victory for the state in a dispute over federal election records.
In an order signed Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi of the District of New Jersey granted the state’s motion to dismiss the case, denied the federal government’s motion to compel production of election records as moot, dismissed the complaint with prejudice, and directed the clerk to close the case.
Court dismisses federal lawsuit
The lawsuit, United States of America v. Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, was filed against New Jersey’s lieutenant governor and secretary of state in his official capacity.
According to the court order, the federal government had asked the court to compel production of election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Judge Quraishi instead granted the defendant’s motion to dismiss.
The order states:
“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss… is GRANTED.”
It further states:
“Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel… is DENIED AS MOOT.”
The judge also ordered that “the Complaint is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
A dismissal with prejudice means the same claim cannot be refiled in the district court.
DOJ sought voter registration information
Documents show the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sent a July 21 letter to Gov. Mikie Sherrill requesting additional information after the state disclosed that approximately 6,600 people who self-identified as noncitizens between June 2023 and June 2024 had nevertheless been registered to vote in New Jersey, and that about 400 of those individuals had voted.
The DOJ requested identifying information for those registrants, including names, dates of birth, nationalities, addresses and voter registration records, along with additional information concerning the approximately 400 individuals who cast ballots.
The department stated the information was being sought as part of its review of New Jersey’s compliance with federal election laws, including the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.
State says ruling protects voter privacy
Following the ruling, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office issued a statement praising the decision.
“We are grateful for the district court’s decision, which correctly found that DOJ’s demand for voters’ personal information lacked support in federal law,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said.
She added that the state would “continue to act in accordance with federal and state law and protect New Jerseyans’ privacy and people’s personal information.”
About the case
The court documents identify Judge Zahid N. Quraishi as the presiding judge. Quraishi was nominated to the U.S. District Court by President Joe Biden in 2021 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate before taking office that year.
The ruling addresses whether the federal government could compel New Jersey to provide the requested voter registration records in this case. The order dismisses the lawsuit but does not, by itself, resolve broader policy questions regarding election administration or voter registration.
The accompanying opinion, which explains the court’s legal reasoning in greater detail, provides the basis for the dismissal of the federal government’s claims.
