New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with a coalition of 18 other attorneys general, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to block key provisions of President Trump's Executive Order on elections. The order is claimed to be an unconstitutional attempt to control state-run election processes.
Attorney General James stated, "Our Constitution is clear: it is up to the states and Congress, not the president, to set the rules governing our elections." She emphasized that the Executive Order could cause chaos in elections and undermine democratic institutions.
The motion challenges several aspects of the order, including requirements for physical proof of citizenship when using federal voter registration forms, which allegedly violates the National Voter Registration Act. It also opposes mandates for state offices to assess residents' citizenship before providing voter registration forms and prohibitions on counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. These measures are argued to violate existing federal and state election laws.
The attorneys general argue that these provisions would force states into costly overhauls of their voter registration systems and create confusion among election officials. They also express concern over threats from the Trump administration to withhold federal funding from non-compliant states. New York alone risks losing significant funds necessary for safe election administration.
Further concerns include potential disenfranchisement due to new proof of citizenship requirements and confusion over ballot deadlines, potentially leading to rejected mail-in ballots despite timely submission. This could disrupt the ballot "curing" process essential for correcting minor ballot issues post-submission.
Attorney General James and her coalition emphasize the urgency of blocking these provisions before they take effect, citing imminent threats posed by these changes ahead of upcoming elections. They call upon the court to act swiftly to prevent what they describe as illegal alterations that could burden state agencies and disenfranchise voters.
Joining Attorney General James in this legal action are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.