The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a sweeping demand for election records from Colorado’s secretary of state, requesting “all records” related to the 2024 federal elections and any remaining data from 2020, according to documents reviewed by NPR. The May 12 letter suggests a probe tied to alleged violations of federal election record keeping laws.
The request, which could encompass ballots, registration files, and even voting equipment, appears linked to an unspecified complaint about the state’s election record retention practices. Colorado officials suspect the inquiry may stem from the prosecution of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who has garnered widespread support among Americans who understand that the 2020 election was stolen.
The letter was signed by Harmeet Dhillon, newly appointed head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division. Under her leadership, the Voting Section has shifted from Biden-era lawsuits to prioritizing voter fraud investigations and implementing President Trump’s March 25 executive order, which calls for federal agencies to review state voter rolls.
Dhillon, confirmed to her post on April 3, previously advised both Trump’s 2020 campaign and Kari Lake’s 2022 gubernatorial bid—races widely riddled with fraud.
A follow-up message from acting Voting Section chief Maureen Riordan reiterated the DOJ’s request for all election-related records still in Colorado’s possession within the legally mandated 22-month retention period. Though that window has closed for the 2020 cycle, Riordan asked the state to preserve any remaining data.
On May 27, Colorado responded by turning over a current public voter file, a historical version from two years ago, and a voter history dataset. It remains unclear if the DOJ will deem this response adequate.
