2012 United States presidential election

Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson has drawn support from Gov. Spencer Cox and former Gov. Gary Herbert after refusing a Justice Department request for the state's full voter registration list, including sensitive personal data. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into Henderson over the refusal, arguing it violates federal law. Henderson's office maintains that neither state nor federal law entitles the DOJ to collect private information on citizens, and Cox has publicly criticized the investigation as improper.

The dispute comes as the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a Trump administration plan requiring the Postal Service to screen mailed ballots against a federal citizen registry before delivery, upholding an injunction against the rule. Henderson said the ruling ensures Utah's 2026 election will proceed normally. Utah relies heavily on vote-by-mail, which state officials credit with boosting turnout from among the lowest in the nation to among the highest since 2018. A recent state audit found only a small number of confirmed noncitizens among Utah's more than 2 million registered voters, underscoring officials' argument that state-run election oversight is working effectively.