US Judge Refuses to Block Trump's Executive Order Tightening Mail-in Voting, Dealing Blow to Democrats
A US federal judge on May 28 denied a request by Democrats to block President Trump's executive order tightening mail-in voting regulations. Democrats argued the order could disenfranchise millions, but the judge ruled the lawsuit was premature. The decision is a setback for Democrats as Republicans push to maintain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.
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- 📰 Published: May 28, 2026 at 21:24
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(CNA, Washington, May 28) A US federal district judge today refused to block President Trump's executive order tightening mail-in voting regulations, marking a setback for the Democratic Party. Democratic lawyers argued that the order could potentially disenfranchise millions of voters.
According to Reuters, the judge's ruling comes as the Republican Party, led by Trump, faces a fierce campaign to retain control of both the House and Senate in the November midterm elections. For years, Trump has claimed that his 2020 election loss was due to widespread fraud, though such claims lack evidence, and he has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting as a source of election fraud.
On March 31, Trump signed an executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting regulations nationwide, which includes a requirement for his administration to compile a list of US citizens eligible to vote in each state.
This order will utilize federal data to assist state election officials in verifying voter eligibility within their jurisdictions, require that absentee ballots only be sent to voters on state-approved mail-in voting lists, and mandate that state election records be properly preserved for five years.
Plaintiffs, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the order from taking effect, but US District Judge Carl Nichols of Washington D.C. rejected the request.
He ruled that the lawsuit brought by Democrats was premature because the government has not yet released any flawed citizenship lists, and the postal service has not yet implemented any new regulations.
Nichols stated that Democrats could request an injunction again after federal agencies begin implementing the executive order.
Democrats argue that the executive order infringes upon the constitutional authority granted to states to manage elections and could improperly exclude legally registered voters due to outdated or erroneous data sources used to create the citizenship lists.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Democratic-led states has also filed a similar lawsuit in a Boston federal court challenging the executive order, with US District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled to hear the case on June 2.
According to Reuters, the judge's ruling comes as the Republican Party, led by Trump, faces a fierce campaign to retain control of both the House and Senate in the November midterm elections. For years, Trump has claimed that his 2020 election loss was due to widespread fraud, though such claims lack evidence, and he has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting as a source of election fraud.
On March 31, Trump signed an executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting regulations nationwide, which includes a requirement for his administration to compile a list of US citizens eligible to vote in each state.
This order will utilize federal data to assist state election officials in verifying voter eligibility within their jurisdictions, require that absentee ballots only be sent to voters on state-approved mail-in voting lists, and mandate that state election records be properly preserved for five years.
Plaintiffs, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the order from taking effect, but US District Judge Carl Nichols of Washington D.C. rejected the request.
He ruled that the lawsuit brought by Democrats was premature because the government has not yet released any flawed citizenship lists, and the postal service has not yet implemented any new regulations.
Nichols stated that Democrats could request an injunction again after federal agencies begin implementing the executive order.
Democrats argue that the executive order infringes upon the constitutional authority granted to states to manage elections and could improperly exclude legally registered voters due to outdated or erroneous data sources used to create the citizenship lists.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Democratic-led states has also filed a similar lawsuit in a Boston federal court challenging the executive order, with US District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled to hear the case on June 2.
FAQ
What is the significance of this ruling for the upcoming US elections?
It allows the administration to proceed with its plans to tighten voting regulations, which remains a key point of contention for the midterm elections.