If it is deemed public information, then the feds can hire a researcher to dig out the information.  A question I asked yesterday, which still stands...How would you have reacted if the Obama administration had made this same request?  My guess is that most on the right would have lost their collective minds.  The right wing media would have gone into non-stop coverage about dictator Obama is demanding voter information, the conspiracy sites would have been screaming that this is the first step to him outlawing elections, and most on the right would have eaten that garbage up.