US judge throws out DOJ bid for Rhode Island voter data

U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking unredacted voter‑registration data from Rhode Island on Friday.

The decision underscores growing concerns about voter privacy and limits on federal authority—issues that could shape future data requests^[1].

Judge McElroy held that federal law does not permit the United States Department of Justice to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here, and that the request exceeds statutory limits^[1]. "Federal law does not permit the United States Department of Justice to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here," the judge said.

Rhode Island Secretary of State echoed the court’s view, noting the request threatens the privacy of state voters. "The Department of Justice’s request is a fishing expedition that threatens the privacy of Rhode Island voters," the official said^[2].

The ruling marks the Justice Department’s fifth loss in its attempts to obtain state voter‑registration lists^[13] and the fifth state to rebuff the agency’s request^[14]. A reporter said, "This marks the Justice Department’s fifth loss in its attempts to obtain state voter‑registration lists," and said that the pattern reflects heightened scrutiny of federal data‑gathering efforts.

Earlier coverage varied on the lawsuit’s scope. While some outlets suggested the filing targeted multiple states, court documents show the complaint demanded detailed voter data only from Rhode Island^[3]. The clarification limits the case to a single jurisdiction and narrows the broader narrative about a nationwide sweep.

**What this means** The dismissal reinforces legal boundaries that protect voter information from expansive federal inquiries. It signals to the Justice Department that future attempts to access state‑level voter rolls must be narrowly tailored and grounded in clear statutory authority, or they risk being rejected by the courts.