The requests have come in letters, emails and phone calls. The specifics vary, but the target is consistent: The U.S. Department of Justice is ramping up an effort to get voter data and other

Letters that The Associated Press found the Justice Department sent to election officials across the nation inquiring about elections and voter information are causing a stir amongst officials, as some decry it for exposing sensitive information.

The move's alarmed states, which have the constitutional authority to run elections and are protected from sharing individual data with the government.