WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore, accusing him of unlawfully refusing to hand over the state’s voter registration database. The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Providence, demands that Amore turn over the full statewide voter file within five days.
According to the suit, the Justice Department requested the information on September 8, seeking a current electronic copy of Rhode Island’s voter rolls — including names, dates of birth, home addresses, driver’s license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. Federal officials argue the request is part of an effort to identify potential ineligible voters and maintain “clean and accurate” voter rolls, insisting the data would be protected under Privacy Act standards.
Amore rejected the request one week later, calling it an inappropriate and unconstitutional intrusion into state-run election systems. In his response at the time, he warned that the administration has a “long track record” of undermining public trust in elections.
“I will not participate in an unsubstantiated search for data and information,” Amore wrote in September. “Rhode Island is a national leader in secure and accessible elections. The administration of elections belongs to the states, and safeguarding voter data is one of my most important responsibilities.”
The lawsuit argues that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 grants the U.S. Attorney General broad authority to obtain state election records. Federal officials have filed similar suits in several states, including a new one Tuesday targeting Washington State’s Secretary of State.
In a statement to NBC 10 after learning of the Rhode Island lawsuit, Amore doubled down on his refusal.
“This lawsuit, like those filed in other states, is a continuation of the current presidential administration’s unconstitutional attempts to interfere with elections across the country,” he said. “Rhode Islanders can be confident our voter list maintenance follows all federal and state laws. As Secretary of State, I will fight to ensure our elections remain secure, fair, and accessible.”
The Justice Department has now taken legal action against at least ten states over voter data requests since September.
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