Twenty-two state attorneys general joined forces Friday to challenge President Trump’s recent executive order that establishes stricter requirements for mail-in voting, filing their lawsuit in federal court in Boston.
The legal action represents the latest in a growing wave of court challenges targeting the order Trump issued Tuesday, with Democratic Party organizations and voting rights groups also pursuing separate cases.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, along with attorneys general from 22 states and Washington D.C., brought the lawsuit forward.
“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and no president has the power to rewrite the rules on his own,” stated New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The White House has not provided a response to requests for comment on the legal challenge.
For several years, Trump has maintained unsubstantiated allegations that his 2020 electoral loss resulted from widespread voting fraud, advocating for stricter mail-in ballot regulations in advance of November’s midterm elections.
The executive order mandates that Trump’s administration create a database of verified U.S. citizens qualified to vote in every state and utilize federal information to assist state officials in confirming voter eligibility.
Additionally, the order mandates that the Postal Service deliver ballots exclusively to individuals appearing on each state’s authorized mail-in voting roster. States must also maintain election documentation for a five-year period.
The coalition of state attorneys general contends that Trump’s directive breaches constitutional provisions and improperly meddles with mail-in voting procedures by instructing postal workers to prevent ballot delivery using standards beyond state jurisdiction.
According to the plaintiffs, permitting Trump’s order to take effect would compel states to hastily reorganize their electoral systems before November, creating disorder and potentially preventing qualified voters from participating.
Trump has simultaneously urged Congress to approve the SAVE America Act, legislation requiring citizenship verification for voter registration and photo identification for ballot casting. While the House approved the measure in February, it encounters significant opposition in the Senate.
