U.S. Lawsuit for California Voter Data Thrown Out of Court

A federal judge has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that demanded access to California's confidential voter data. The U.S. Justice Department sued the state to gain its full voter rolls. Officials wanted the information for a new national election database. The lawsuit claimed California was breaking federal law by refusing to provide all the data. The judge ruled the federal government's request was too broad. The decision protects the privacy of millions of California voters. This case was part of a larger federal effort. The Justice Department has filed similar lawsuits against about two dozen other states. The goal is to build a comprehensive national voter database to check for irregularities. California officials celebrated the ruling as a victory for voter privacy. The Justice Department has not yet stated if it will appeal the decision.