A U.S. judge has blocked parts of President Donald Trump's executive order regarding federal elections. The order sought to impose new rules, which Democrats and other groups argued could deny eligible citizens the right to vote.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the Trump administration cannot enforce sections requiring federal election officials to assess the citizenship of voter registrants. However, she declined to block the part of the order seeking to force states not to count mail-in ballots received after election day.
The ruling came in response to lawsuits from groups including the Democratic National Committee, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the League of Women Voters Education Fund. A U.S. Justice Department spokesperson stated the department will continue to defend President Trump's agenda in court.
Trump's March executive order called for modifying the national voter registration form to require proof of citizenship. It also directed federal officials to "assess" the citizenship of people on public assistance before offering voter registration forms. Plaintiffs claimed these measures could discourage or prevent eligible citizens from registering.
Kollar-Kotelly found those parts of the order illegal, citing the U.S. Constitution, which gives states the power to oversee elections. Trump also required federal agencies to open their databases to search for non-citizens who have registered to vote.
The judge declined to block the provisions regarding agency data sharing and mail-in ballots. She stated that Trump has the power to order agencies to share information. She also noted that challenges over mail-in ballots should be brought by the states themselves.
Democratic-led states are pursuing their own lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court. The Trump administration has sought to have that case transferred to Kollar-Kotelly's court. The Massachusetts court has not yet ruled on that request.