The U.S. Department of Justice has requested that the state of Colorado provide all records related to the 2024 federal elections and preserve any remaining documentation from the 2020 election. The broad nature of the request has raised concerns among election officials and experts about its purpose and potential implications.
The letter, dated May 12, states that the request is in response to a complaint alleging noncompliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The origin and details of the complaint remain undisclosed.
State officials noted that the scope of the request could potentially cover voter registration materials, ballots, and voting equipment, much of which is maintained at the county level. While the letter does not mention any ongoing cases directly, some in Colorado suspect the request may be indirectly related to recent legal proceedings involving former election officials.
In a follow-up correspondence, the Justice Department clarified its intent to obtain all records within the federally mandated 22-month retention period following an election. Although this window has closed for the 2020 cycle, the department has asked for preservation of any still-available documents from that year.
On May 27, Colorado submitted a current version of its public voter file, a historical version from approximately two years prior, and a dataset reflecting voter history. It remains uncertain whether this will fulfill the department’s requirements.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has undergone notable leadership and policy shifts, including a focus on election integrity investigations and voter roll maintenance.
Attention has also been drawn to the fact that the official who signed the request previously led a law firm currently representing the Republican National Committee in similar data inquiries across multiple states.
Election officials in other states, such as New Mexico, have voiced concern over how the data might be used and are preparing for the possibility of receiving similar requests from federal authorities.
