A U.S. federal judge has permanently blocked key parts of President Donald Trump’s election executive order, ruling that the President does not have constitutional authority to impose such measures. The order had sought to mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration and required that mail-in ballots be received by Election Day to be counted.
The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper in Boston, converts last year’s preliminary injunction into a permanent ban. The court emphasized that election procedures fall under the jurisdiction of states and Congress, not the President. The decision also noted the administration failed to provide evidence of widespread voter fraud to justify the order.
Provisions struck down include the requirement for documentary proof of citizenship, the rejection of ballots arriving after Election Day even if postmarked on time, and penalties that threatened to withhold federal funding from states that did not comply. The judge underscored that these measures violated constitutional boundaries.
Democratic attorneys general welcomed the ruling, calling it a defense of voting rights and state authority. New York AG Letitia James described the order as an “unconstitutional attempt to seize control of elections,” while California AG Rob Bonta said the judgment reaffirmed that election rules are set by states and Congress. The Trump administration had argued the lawsuit was premature, but the court rejected this claim.
The ruling is part of a series of judicial setbacks for Trump’s efforts to reshape federal election oversight. It comes ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, reinforcing the principle that states retain primary control over election management.
