A Federal Judge Challenges Trump’s Election Orders
A federal judge has mostly overturned President Trump’s initial executive orders related to his election agenda, presenting a significant hurdle for the administration’s attempts to modify federal voting regulations.
Judge Dennis Casper, appointed by President Obama, ruled that the White House lacked the authority to implement many of the proposed changes in the order, which notably included a mandate for voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship during voter registration.
This ruling upholds an injunction previously issued by Casper in response to a lawsuit brought by Democratic attorneys general from 19 states. The judge clarified that authority over elections primarily lies with the states and Congress, not the presidential office.
Casper emphasized that the executive branch cannot independently alter election procedures that are defined by law.
“While the Constitution grants the president ‘executive power’ and requires him to ‘see that the laws be faithfully executed,’ it does not provide special powers regarding elections,” Casper noted.
“Consequently, the president has no direct involvement in appointing electors and cannot control the state officials responsible for that process,” she added.
Trump’s order aimed to introduce various new election regulations, including the citizenship proof requirement and a ban on counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day—despite being postmarked on time. It also threatened to withhold federal funds from states that didn’t comply.
This ruling is yet another defeat for President Trump’s election orders, which have faced numerous legal challenges since their introduction at the start of his second term. It also follows the implementation of another directive aimed at establishing a national voter database and tightening regulations on mail-in voting.
Despite these ongoing challenges in the courts, President Trump continues to urge Congress to pass legislation requiring citizenship verification for voters. The Republican-backed SAVE America Act made it through the House but has stalled in the Senate.
On Wednesday, Trump reiterated this push, indicating he would delay signing a bipartisan housing measure until Congress approves the citizenship verification requirements.
