Federal officials to monitor mail ballots as Trump order faces court challenges
Trump administration moves forward with mail ballot monitoring plans despite multiple court challenges from voting rights groups.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will provide states access to federal citizenship data by June 30 and plans to monitor mail ballot distribution for potential voter fraud, according to court documents filed in ongoing litigation against the Trump administration’s voting restrictions.
The federal agency is implementing President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order that restricts mail-in voting procedures ahead of the November midterm elections. The directive has sparked multiple lawsuits from Democratic groups and voting rights organizations who argue the president lacks authority to change election administration.
“No president has the authority to unilaterally rewrite election rules or dictate how states administer their elections,” said Marcia Johnson, chief of activation and justice at the League of Women Voters, in a statement last week. The organization filed one of at least five federal lawsuits challenging the order.
Legal Challenges Continue
Despite the legal opposition, Trump’s executive order remains in effect as courts review the challenges. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled in late May against a request by Democratic groups to pause the order, determining it was premature to intervene because federal officials had not yet taken sufficient action.
A second judge in Massachusetts conducted a hearing last week but has not issued a decision on the matter.
“The Trump Administration will continue fighting for the safety and security of American elections,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement following the court proceedings.
Impact on November Elections
The new restrictions could significantly affect how millions of Americans vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Approximately 30% of voters cast mail ballots in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
Trump, who has consistently criticized mail-in voting while using mail ballots himself, argues the additional regulations will prevent noncitizen voting. Election officials and voting rights advocates describe noncitizen voting as an extremely rare occurrence.
The president’s order targets mail ballot procedures that Democrats and voting rights groups view as essential for voter access, particularly for elderly, disabled, and military voters who rely on absentee voting options.
