Louisville — The interim clerk of Jefferson County announced Tuesday that his office has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice seeking access to Kentucky’s unredacted voter registration data.
David Yates said the move is aimed at protecting both voter privacy and his office’s legal responsibilities. Kentucky is one of 29 states named in the federal lawsuit.
The DOJ alleges that Kentucky failed to provide complete voter registration lists after repeated requests. According to the suit, the agency sought personal data including voters’ full names, dates of birth, addresses, and driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of Social Security numbers.
“As the chief election official for Jefferson County, I have a statutory duty to protect the confidential personal information entrusted to us by our voters,” Yates said. “This lawsuit directly affects my office’s responsibilities.”
The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office is representing the clerk’s office. County Attorney Mike O’Connell said the legal team moved quickly after reviewing the federal complaint.
“This federal overstep directly impacts the Clerk’s constitutional and statutory duties,” O’Connell said. “We are proud to represent Clerk Yates and the voters of Jefferson County.”
Yates warned that releasing unredacted voter data could undermine public trust and discourage participation in elections.
“People need to feel confident that when they register to vote, their personal information will remain secure,” he said.
Clerk candidate Roz Welch also voiced support for the intervention, arguing the DOJ lacks sufficient justification to access confidential voter information.
Meanwhile, the Kentucky State Board of Elections has asked the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to dismiss the lawsuit. A spokesperson said the board has cooperated with federal officials while ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, including providing redacted voter lists that exclude sensitive personal details.
The case remains ongoing.
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