The Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging an executive order that seeks to introduce sweeping changes to the U.S. election system, including requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration and restricting the counting of mail-in ballots.
In the suit filed on Monday, Democrats urged a federal court to block the order, arguing that it unlawfully prevents states from counting mail-in ballots received after election day.
The executive directive also mandates that individuals provide proof of citizenship—such as a passport—when registering to vote.
“The President does not get to dictate the rules of our elections,” stated the lawsuit, which was filed in Washington by the Democratic National Committee, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and others.
“The Executive Order seeks to impose radical changes on how Americans register to vote, cast a ballot, and participate in our democracy—all of which threaten to disenfranchise lawful voters and none of which is legal,” the suit added.
After signing the March 25 order, titled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, President Donald Trump called it “the farthest-reaching executive action taken” to ensure secure elections in the U.S.
Trump, who has refused to acknowledge his 2020 election loss, has consistently questioned the credibility of the U.S. electoral system.
He has frequently promoted unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, particularly regarding absentee ballots.
Legal experts quickly condemned Trump’s executive order, calling it an overreach of presidential authority that could potentially disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
In a separate lawsuit filed Monday, advocacy groups led by the Campaign Legal Center and the State Democracy Defenders Fund also challenged the executive order.
“The president’s executive order is an unlawful action that threatens to uproot our tried-and-tested election systems and silence potentially millions of Americans,” said Danielle Lang of the Campaign Legal Center.
“It is simply not within the president’s authority to set election rules by executive decree, especially when they would restrict access to voting in this way.”
