Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Voter List Order Ahead of Midterms

A federal judge has issued a ruling that halts President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at establishing a federal voter list and restricting mail-in ballot eligibility.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, granted a summary judgment in favor of nearly two dozen states that challenged the order. This decision is significant as it directly impacts the upcoming midterm elections.

The plaintiffs, which include a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia, argued that the executive order was unconstitutional. They contended that the authority to set election rules rests with the states and Congress, not the president. Judge Talwani concurred, stating that the order infringes upon the separation of powers.

This ruling follows a similar decision made just a day earlier, which blocked another executive order that required individuals to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

In her ruling, Judge Talwani highlighted the urgency of the case, noting that the order's deadlines coincide with the imminent election cycle. She emphasized that delaying judicial review could result in significant hardship for the plaintiffs.

Trump's executive order, issued in March, was part of his ongoing efforts to address what he claims is widespread voter fraud, particularly by noncitizens. However, experts have pointed out that voting by noncitizens is rare and that states already have established processes to maintain accurate voter rolls.

The order would have mandated the federal government to compile a list of eligible voters and directed the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to those individuals. Election officials raised concerns that this could lead to confusion and potential abuse, while postal unions have expressed opposition to the idea of mail carriers managing ballots.

In addition to the lawsuits led by Democratic attorneys general, another legal challenge in Washington, D.C., is still pending, with a judge there ruling it was too early to block the order since it had not yet been implemented.

Since losing the 2020 presidential election, Trump has repeatedly claimed that mail-in voting is fraught with fraud, despite numerous investigations confirming the integrity of the election process.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).