The U.S. Department of Justice recently sent letters to at least 30 chief election officials nationwide, warning them against destroying records related to the 2024 election. These communications, dispatched just before the 22-month retention deadline on Sept. 5, assert that the officials “are currently under investigation” and subject to ongoing litigation, though details about the scope or nature of the investigations remain unclear.

The letters emphasize the department’s ongoing efforts to obtain comprehensive voter data and election records, including unredacted statewide voter lists containing sensitive personal information such as partial Social Security numbers and driver’s license details. The Justice Department has sued 30 states in attempts to secure this data, but has lost 23 cases and not won any thus far, with some rulings still pending. While many of the targeted states are controlled by Democrats, the department has also pursued states led by Republicans, including Kentucky, Idaho, West Virginia, and Georgia.

Spokespeople for the Justice Department indicated that these letters were sent to states where legal battles continue over the release of full voting rolls, though inquiries regarding potential criminal investigations went unanswered. States receiving the letters expressed their intention to adhere strictly to existing state laws governing document retention. Calli Jones, spokeswoman for the Arizona secretary of state’s office, rejected implications that the state was failing to preserve election materials, describing such claims as “an insult” to local election administrators.

The issuance of these letters occurs amid elevated tensions between election officials and the Trump administration, which has vigorously pursued claims of widespread voter fraud without substantiated evidence. President Donald Trump has repeatedly alleged—without proof—that millions of noncitizens are either registered to vote or have cast ballots illegally. Multiple independent studies have found such occurrences to be extremely rare.

This effort by the Justice Department builds on earlier actions by Trump administration officials. In July, Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, sent letters to election officials in all 50 states threatening criminal prosecution if any noncitizen votes were counted in the 2022 midterm elections. Around the same time, Markwayne Mullin, then serving as Homeland Security Secretary, publicly threatened election officials with prison if they did not comply with the administration’s election-related demands. Additionally, the administration has sought Supreme Court intervention to impose stricter limitations on mail-in voting.

Francisco Aguilar, Nevada’s Democratic secretary of state, characterized the letters as part of a sustained campaign of “harassment and intimidation” designed to pressure election officials into compliance. He asserted that the office would maintain adherence to the law and prioritize voter interests.

Legal experts note that election officials are well-versed in record retention policies, which typically allow destruction of voter records 22 months after an election. David Becker, a former Justice Department voting rights lawyer, described the Justice Department’s letters as redundant reminders unlikely to influence state practices, suggesting they may serve more as a tactic to extract additional information beyond legal requirements. He added that the timing of the reminders, just ahead of an election, diminished their practical impact.