Elections and Government Reform

Sharing voter lists with the federal government

3 public statements from 2026 candidates · 1 related bill

§1The range of views

Why this matters: This affects how voter lists are checked for people who aren't eligible to vote and how well voters' private information is protected.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether states should hand over their full voter lists, including private details such as driver's license and partial Social Security numbers, when the federal government asks for them.1

  1. Give the federal government full voter lists, including private details, for eligibility checks
  2. Share only the voter information already open to the public, such as names and addresses
  3. Decline federal requests for voter list data and leave list checks to the states

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Decline federal requests for voter list data and leave list checks to the states (2)

  • Josh Smead MO-6
    His campaign website lists stopping the administration from accessing state voting lists.2
  • Lauren Pinkston TN Governor
    Her campaign website says Tennessee should have refused to turn over its voter records to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2026.3

Statements that don't match one option (1)

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.