A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing most of his executive order on elections in the states of Washington and Oregon, where mail-in voting is conducted, in the latest blow to Trump’s efforts to request documentary evidence.
SEATTLE — A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing most of his executive order on elections against mail-in voting states Washington and Oregon, in the latest blow to Trump’s efforts to require documentary proof of citizenship to vote and require all ballots to be received by Election Day.
U.S. District Judge John H. Chun in Seattle found those requirements exceeded the president’s authority, following similar rulings in the Massachusetts case Brought by 19 states And in A Washington, D.C., case By democratic and civil rights groups.
“Today’s ruling is a major victory for the voters of Washington and Oregon, and for the rule of law,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said. “The Court enforced the long-standing constitutional rule that only states and Congress can regulate elections, not the election denier.”
Executive orderpassed in March, includes new requirements that people provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and requires that all mail-in ballots be received by Election Day. It also puts federal funding to states at risk if election officials don’t comply.
Officials in Oregon and Washington states, which accept ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day, said that could disenfranchise thousands of voters. During the 2024 general election, officials in Washington counted nearly 120,000 ballots that were received after Election Day but were postmarked. Oregon officials received nearly 14,000 such ballots.
The judge found that Trump’s efforts violated the principle of separation of powers. He pointed out that the Constitution gives Congress and the states the authority to regulate federal elections.
Oregon and Washington said they sued separately from other states because, as mail-in voting-only states, they face special damages from the executive order.
Trump and Other Republicans They promoted the idea that large numbers of people who were not American citizens might vote. However, voting by non-citizens rare When they are arrested, they may face criminal charges and deportation.