RNC denied access to New Jersey voter rolls

(CN) — A New Jersey judge on Monday rejected the Republican National Committee’s demands to receive more than a dozen sets of New Jersey voter registration documents.

U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner said that the committee gave no legitimate reason as to why it needed access to those documents and that the RNC never had any right to file suit in the first place.

Regarding the RNC’s asserted interest in maintaining election integrity and ensuring the state’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act — a 1993 law regulating states’ voter rolls and their maintenance — the Joe Biden appointee found that as a private entity, the committee has no standing to do so.

And while the RNC claimed the state’s failure to disclose voter roll documents denied it the ability to engage in “get-out-the-vote activities,” it failed to provide the court any imminent plans to increase voter participation that would require the requested documents.

“Here, plaintiff not only fails to allege concrete plans for how it intends to use the specific records in this case, but it also fails to allege how defendant’s failure to provide those records impairs its ability to increase voter participation, so it has not satisfied its burden of alleging the informational injury needed to confer Article III standing,” Castner wrote.

The RNC first requested sixteen categories of voter registration records from the New Jersey Secretary of State in March 2025, claiming the Republican Party needed copies of the state’s voter rolls to “identify eligible voters, including those who are not yet registered; communicate with voters; and encourage voters to turn out and vote.” The RNC later asked for two additional categories of voter registration records in June 2025.

On July 11, 2025, then-New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way replied to the RNC’s requests via email, providing a link with documents that was, according to the RNC, “at least partially responsive” to two of its requests for records.

Castner found she could not legally consider whether any of the state’s lack of action on these requests violated the National Voter Registration Act.

After a failed state court suit, the RNC sued Way in New Jersey federal court in November 2025 for failing to provide the voter registration documents in violation of the National Voter Registration Act. Access to those voter rolls, the RNC argued, is essential for two reasons.

First, access to such data allows the committee to “assess the accuracy” of voter registration data it purchases from New Jersey, allowing it to efficiently conduct political actions.

Additionally, the RNC asserted, access to the voter roll data allows the committee to ensure the effectiveness of New Jersey’s election integrity efforts.

In the lawsuit, the RNC focused on 10 of its requests including for lists of New Jerseyans who were sent or responded to address confirmations regarding voter registration and information on how state officials identify deceased and criminally convicted residents for voter registration purposes.

“This fight is far from over, and the RNC is examining all available legal options to secure the transparency New Jersey voters deserve. The public has a right to know how voter rolls are maintained and whether election officials are complying with federal law,” said Ally Triolo, RNC Election Integrity communications director.

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on the ruling.

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