Federal Court Blocks Trump’s Voter Eligibility Order in 23 States

A federal appeals court has upheld a decision that halted President Donald Trump’s executive order, which aimed to create a federal list of eligible voters and restrict mail ballot distribution to those on the list. This ruling, decided on Saturday by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, prevents the Trump administration from enforcing mail-in voting restrictions in 23 U.S. states. These states had initiated a lawsuit before the November midterm elections.

In March, Trump issued an executive order directing the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration to develop a ‘state citizenship list’ of eligible voters. Additionally, the order stipulated that the U.S. Postal Service should only send mail ballots to individuals on this list.

Although Trump promoted the order as a measure to prevent non-U.S. citizens from voting, state election officials expressed concerns. They argued the changes were prone to misuse and could lead to widespread confusion. Democratic officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Boston challenging the executive order. They argued that the president lacked the constitutional authority to dictate election procedures, which falls under the jurisdiction of the states and Congress.

Judge Indira Talwani, nominated by President Barack Obama, agreed with the plaintiffs and blocked the order’s implementation for the Nov. 3 elections, although only in the suing states. The Justice Department stated on Sunday that it is considering its legal options and remains optimistic that Trump’s executive order will eventually be upheld.

Reporter Russ Bynum provided additional coverage from Savannah, Georgia.