Kolodin Slams Fontes over DOJ Voter File Refusal

Arizona State Representative and Secretary of State candidate Alexander (Alex) Kolodin is taking exception to current Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ refusal to turn over Arizona’s unredacted voter registration database to the U.S. Department of Justice. Fontes’ denial is escalating what will ultimately result in a legal showdown over voter privacy, federal authority, and election oversight.

The DOJ filed a federal complaint on January 6 seeking to compel production of Arizona’s voter records under Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, asserting broad authority to inspect election-related materials upon written demand. Arizona officials, including Fontes and state Attorney General Kris Mayes, say the request goes far beyond what federal law allows.

In a public statement responding to the lawsuit, Fontes framed the issue as one of legal duty and voter protection, claiming, “The Department of Justice is requesting Arizona’s unredacted voter files. My duty as the Secretary of State is clear: protect privacy, uphold the law, and keep our elections secure—not politicized.” Fontes continued, “This request is a prime example of government overreach, and I will not roll over for anyone seeking to weaponize Arizonans’ private information.”

The DOJ’s complaint relies on federal statutes that require election officials to preserve voting-related records and to make them available for inspection by the U.S. Attorney General. The filing argues that courts have only a limited role in reviewing such demands and that compliance is mandatory. If a state official refuses, the DOJ contends, a federal court may issue an order compelling production without evaluating the scope or necessity of the request per court filings.

Arizona officials counter that the DOJ’s demand seeks unrestricted access to the state’s entire voter registration database, which contains sensitive personal information, including birth dates, residential addresses, and identification data. Arizona law allows limited disclosure of voter data for specific purposes, but does not authorize blanket release of unredacted records to the federal government.

Attorney General Kris Mayes has publicly supported the refusal, stating that both state and federal law prohibit the wholesale transfer of Arizona’s complete voter file.

The dispute highlights a growing national tension between state election administrators and federal enforcement agencies as election integrity, voter roll maintenance, and data security remain under intense scrutiny. A ruling in favor of the DOJ could expand federal access to state-controlled voter databases nationwide. A ruling for Arizona would reinforce limits on federal authority where voter privacy and state election law intersect.

For now, Fontes’ refusal places Arizona at the center of a high-stakes federalism battle — one that will likely define how far the federal government can go in demanding access to voter data in the name of oversight. On social media, Fontes and a federal official traded jabs. “See you in court,” the federal official posted. Fontes replied, “OK—and in the meantime, pound sand.”

With federal litigation pending and Arizona’s top election office now in the political spotlight, this clash may become a defining issue heading into the next election cycle. The dispute is already spilling over into Arizona’s 2026 Secretary of State race, where Alexander Kolodin is running for the Republican nomination and the chance to face Fontes, the Democrats’ choice for the general election.

Kolodin weighed in on the controversy, drawing a sharp contrast to Fontes. He posted on Facebook, “My friend Harmeet Dhillon sued my opponent, Adrian Fontes, for obstructing the DOJ’s enforcement of the Civil Rights Act,” Kolodin said. “When I am Secretary of State, we will ensure that the civil rights of every lawful voter are protected.”