A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump cannot require people to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when using the federal voter registration form to register to vote. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Trump’s requested requirement cannot be enforced.
Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday, March 25, aiming to overhaul federal elections. The order sought to implement proof of citizenship to partake in federal elections, require use of paper ballots and only accept mail-in ballots that arrive by Election Day.
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Democratic and civil rights groups sued, arguing that the citizenship proof requirement would unfairly block eligible voters from registering. The judge agreed with those groups and initially issued a preliminary injunction in April, ruling against the Trump administration’s attempt to impose the new requirement.
Judge rules president lacks authority
In Friday’s ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly said the president cannot unilaterally impose new rules for voter registration, and that he doesn’t have the legal authority to make this kind of change by executive order. “Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the president lacks the authority to direct such changes,” Judge Kollar-Kotelly wrote in the opinion.
The court not only legally shut down the plan to require proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, but also prevented the Election Assistance Commission from ever enforcing it.
Other parts of order still under review
The court case isn’t finished yet. While the judge has ruled on the proof-of-citizenship requirement, other parts of Trump’s order, like the mail-in ballot rule, are still being reviewed in court. As the lawsuit continues, further legal decisions are expected on those other provisions.
