Federal Judge Declines to Block Trump Executive Order on Mail Voting and Voter List
The Story
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has declined to temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks to create a national list of eligible voters and limit mail-in voting. The ruling leaves the order in place for now, as legal challenges continue in separate lawsuits in Massachusetts.
Key Facts
- U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, rejected a request by Democrats and civil rights groups to block the executive order.
- The order calls for the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to create lists of adult U.S. citizens in each state and send them to state election officials.
- The order also directs the U.S. Postal Service to develop lists of eligible voters and deliver mail-in ballots only to those on the lists.
- Judge Nichols stated that it is too early to grant injunctive relief because the order has not yet been implemented, but plaintiffs may renew their motions if future actions occur.
- A separate legal challenge to the order is pending in federal court in Boston, with a decision expected as soon as early June.
- This is Trump’s second executive order on election procedures; his first, issued in 2025, was blocked by multiple federal judges.
Conflicting Reports
- The sources differ on the date of the ruling: NPR reports the ruling was released Thursday (May 28), while ABC News reports it was issued late Wednesday (May 27).
Still Unclear
- Single-source claim (NPR): Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the Justice Department is working with other agencies to implement the order.
- Single-source claim (ABC News): Trump has groundlessly claimed mail voting is rife with fraud and has launched a federal investigation into the 2020 election, despite audits finding no widespread fraud.
- Single-source claim (NPR): Trump voted by mail in Florida in March, and more registered Democrats than Republicans voted by mail in the 2024 election.
- It remains unclear how and when federal agencies will implement the order, as the administration stated in early May that they were still deliberating.
Misconceptions
- Both sources address the claim that noncitizen voting in federal elections is common. NPR notes that reviews and research have found such illegal voting to be incredibly rare. ABC News states that repeated audits and investigations, including those run by Republicans, found no widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
Key Figures
- President Donald Trump
- U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols
- Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche
Sources: NPR, abcnews.com
