US judge blocks Justice Department bid to seize voter data in Rhode Island
TL;DR
A federal judge has blocked the Justice Department's attempt to seize voter data in Rhode Island, siding with state officials and civil rights groups. This ruling marks another setback for the Trump administration's efforts to access voter information nationwide.
Key points
- Federal judge blocks DOJ from accessing Rhode Island voter data
- Judge Mary McElroy sides with election officials and civil rights groups
- Ruling seen as a setback for Trump's administration's data access efforts
Mentioned in this story
A federal judge in the United States has dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit seeking to access voter data from Rhode Island.
The decision on Friday was the latest loss for the administration of President Donald Trump, which has sought to access voter data in dozens of states across the country.
In the ruling, US District Court Judge Mary McElroy sided with election officials and civil rights groups, writing that the Justice Department does not have the authority “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here”.
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore praised the ruling in a statement afterwards.
“The executive branch seems to have no problem taking actions that are clear Constitutional overreaches, regularly meddling in responsibilities that are the rights of the states,” Amore wrote.
“But the power of our democratic republic, built on three, coequal branches of government, is clearer than ever before.”
The Justice Department has sued at least 30 states for their voter information, maintaining it needs the information to secure election security. State officials have said that turning over the data raises an array of privacy concerns.
Under the US Constitution, state officials administer elections. Only Congress can pass laws related to how states oversee voting.
But Trump has sought to transform election administration, claiming that voting has been marred by widespread fraud.
In particular, Trump has continued to maintain that the 2020 election, in which he lost to former President Joe Biden, was “stolen”.
No evidence has ever been put forward to support the claims.
Federal judges have rejected attempts in California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oregon to force the states to hand over voter files to the federal government. At least 12 states, however, have willingly provided or pledged to provide voter information to the Trump administration.
The push for voter information is one of several actions that have raised concerns over how the Trump administration will approach the midterm elections in November, which will decide the makeup of the US Congress.
He is currently calling on Republicans to pass the so-called SAVE America Act, a bill that would create higher documentation standards for voters to prove their citizenship when registering to vote and casting ballots.
The majority of Republican lawmakers have embraced Trump’s claim that the law is needed to prevent non-citizens from registering to vote, despite studies showing that instances of voter fraud are glancingly rare.
Critics say the measure would risk disenfranchising millions of voters, particularly those who have legally changed their names, which is a common practice in US marriages.
Q&A
Why did the US judge block the Justice Department's access to voter data in Rhode Island?
The judge ruled that the Justice Department lacks the authority for such an expansive request, labeling it a 'fishing expedition'.
What was the reaction of Rhode Island officials to the court ruling?
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore praised the ruling, highlighting concerns over constitutional overreach by the executive branch.
What implications does this ruling have for the Trump administration's efforts in other states?
This ruling represents a significant setback for the Trump administration, which has sought access to voter data in multiple states across the country.
