Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking Rhode Island voter data

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A federal judge on Friday blocked the Justice Department’s attempt to compel Rhode Island to provide sensitive voter data, marking another setback for the Trump administration’s push to access state voter registration records.

U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy rejected the DOJ’s effort to require the state to turn over sensitive voter records, including dates of birth, home addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

The lawsuit was part of a broader federal push to review voter rolls and election systems in states across the country. Rhode Island officials declined to provide the full set of requested data, instead offering access to publicly available voter information and raising concerns about the privacy of residents.

In dismissing the case, the court found that the federal government’s request exceeded what is allowed under existing election laws, preventing the DOJ from obtaining the expanded dataset it sought.

The decision mirrors similar rulings in other states, where courts have denied federal attempts to access detailed voter information beyond what is publicly available.

State officials have maintained that while they comply with federal election requirements, protecting voter privacy remains a priority.

The dismissal marks another development in the ongoing legal debate over the balance between election oversight and the protection of personal voter data.