RI Election Integrity Advocates Suffer Major Loss
Status Quo Advocates Prevail as Judicial System Once Again Turns Blind Eye to Government Corruption.
In the ongoing state and national effort to enhance election integrity in Rhode Island and across America, there has been a major development in the legal battle between the federal government and Rhode Island over voter rolls.
On April 17, 2026 a federal judge officially dismissed the lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in a 14-page decision that sided with state officials and so-called civil rights advocates. Here are the highlights of the ruling:
- “Fishing Expedition”: Judge McElroy characterized the DOJ’s demand for unredacted voter data—which included sensitive information like Social Security and driver’s license numbers—as a “fishing expedition.”
- Lack of Factual Basis: The court found that the federal government failed to provide any specific factual allegations suggesting that Rhode Island was violating federal list-maintenance requirements.
- Privacy Protections: The ruling affirmed the state’s position that federal law (specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and the National Voter Registration Act) does not give the executive branch a blank check to collect private, personally identifiable information about residents. This claim despite the fact that Secretary of State Amore turns over this exact information to non-governmental and partisan 3rd-party organizations like ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center).
- A Pattern of Losses: This ruling marks the fifth major defeat for the current administration in this specific legal campaign. Similar lawsuits seeking unredacted voter rolls have already been dismissed in **California, Oregon, Michigan, and Massachusetts.
Background on the Conflict. The lawsuit was part of a larger nationwide push by the DOJ that began in late 2025. The federal government has sued at least **30 states** and the District of Columbia to force the release of voter data, which it claims is necessary for election security and checking citizenship status.
Rhode Island had previously offered a redacted, public version of the voter list to the DOJ, but Secretary Amore refused to hand over the unredacted version, citing voter privacy and state sovereignty over election administration.
What Happens Next?
While this is a significant “win” for Rhode Island government officials, the federal government still has the option to appeal the decision to a higher court. However, given the consistent string of dismissals in other states, legal experts suggest the administration may face an uphill battle in the appellate circuit. For now, Rhode Island voter roll data remains protected under state control.
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