Update
This news story was updated at 11:10 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026 with statements from Secretary of State Chuck Gray.
CASPER, Wyo. — The League of Women Voters of Wyoming on Friday said it is alarmed by Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s “decision to surrender Wyoming citizens’ private voter information to the federal government.”
Earlier this month, Newsweek reported that the U.S. Department of Justice asked all 50 states to turn over their voter rolls to the Trump administration, offering access to lists containing information such as dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.
Of the 50 states, more than 20 have not complied with the administration’s requests. Eleven said they are willing to comply based on a memorandum of understanding. And four have already complied and turned over voter data.
One of those four is Wyoming.
The League of Women Voters called the move “an unprecedented effort by our federal government to collect sensitive voter data from the Wyoming state government.” In addition to dates of birth, drivers license numbers, and Social Security numbers, information could include telephone numbers, tribal identification card numbers, email addresses and more, the group said.
“The safest way to protect sensitive data is to limit access to it, ensuring only those who absolutely need it can access it,” the league wrote in a press release. “States have private, individual voter rolls for a reason. There was no reason to hand over Wyoming voters’ private information to the federal government.
“The League requests that Governor Gordon instruct Attorney General Kautz to examine the authority of the Wyoming Secretary of State, by statute, rule and regulation, and to issue an opinion on Secretary Gray’s actions.”
In his rebuttal, Gray said the League presented “numerous inaccuracies fed by their Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Gray said the data release was approved by the Wyoming Attorney General after collaborating on the “routine voter list maintenance effort.”
“Federal law, including the Civil Rights Act, requires states to work with the federal government to conduct routine voter list maintenance when that data is requested by the Department of Justice,” Gray said late Sunday. “In close consultation with the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, I complied with a lawful request to ensure Wyoming’s voter rolls were compliant with the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Act. As Wyoming’s chief election official, I comply with the law and that is what we did here.
“It is deeply troubling that left-wing groups like LWV continue to take a position counter to federal law. LWV has consistently opposed President Trump’s important election integrity work. I support President Trump’s work to advance election integrity.”
Newsweek reports that some have called the request for information an attempt by the Trump administration to create a national voter database, and restrict access. The Justice Department maintains in court filings that it wants access to the data to ensure states are complying with federal law when it comes to maintaining accurate voter rolls.
