Article Summary –
President Trump’s executive order restricting mail-in voting and mandating a national list of eligible voters is being challenged as unconstitutional by Gov. Josh Shapiro, Washington, D.C., and 22 Democratic-led states, arguing it infringes on states’ rights to administer elections. The lawsuit criticizes the order as an unprecedented federal overreach, potentially causing voter confusion, disenfranchisement, and pressuring election officials, while voter rights groups and civil rights organizations have also filed lawsuits against it. Despite the administration’s defense that the order aims to secure elections, critics argue it creates chaos, undermines public confidence, and erects barriers to voting, particularly affecting those who rely on mail-in ballots.
President Donald Trump’s recent executive order limiting mail-in voting and requiring a national list of eligible voters has sparked controversy. A lawsuit from Gov. Josh Shapiro, D.C., and 22 Democratic-led states claims it is an unconstitutional attempt to control elections nationwide.
The lawsuit, filed April 3 in Massachusetts federal court, labels the order a “shocking and unprecedented power grab.” The order, from March 31, instructs the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to compile a voter eligibility list for states.
The plaintiffs argue the order is illegal because the Constitution grants election administration to states, not the federal executive branch. Congress, not the president, can alter state election regulations.
Shapiro, who has challenged Trump legally before, condemned the order, stating, “The U.S. Constitution makes clear that elections are state-run.” A press release on April 3 emphasized Pennsylvania’s commitment to fair elections.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded, claiming only Democrats would oppose “lawful efforts” to secure elections. Trump has a history of alleging voter fraud, especially after his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
The lawsuit argues Trump’s order will confuse voters, waste resources, and disenfranchise eligible voters. It highlights the inaccuracy of the Department of Homeland Security’s Systemic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, previously linked to erroneous voter registration cancellations. NPR reported on these issues, further complicating election processes.
The executive order threatens election officials with criminal charges for issuing ballots to allegedly ineligible voters, pressuring states to remove voters not on the federal list. Concurrently, Republicans are considering the SAVE America Act, demanding documentary proof of citizenship to vote.
Multiple lawsuits and critiques, including from Republicans, challenge the executive order. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt, a Republican, stressed the need for clear election rules to ensure trust in outcomes.
Voting rights groups like the League of Women Voters and US Vote Foundation are suing over the order, arguing it disrupts state laws and disenfranchises voters. Civil rights groups, including the NAACP, also filed a lawsuit against the order.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson noted that mail-in voting has been accessible for decades, arguing the executive order creates chaos and discourages participation in midterm elections.
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