Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Apr. 3 that he and a coalition of 24 states have filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s recent executive order regarding federal elections. The suit claims the order unlawfully interferes with state authority by restricting voter eligibility and mail-in voting to those pre-approved by the federal government.
The issue is significant because it concerns who has the power to determine how federal elections are run and could affect access to voting for many Americans. The lawsuit aims to protect what plaintiffs say is a fundamental right under both state and federal law.
“President Trump’s unlawful executive order will disenfranchise voters and cause chaos in the administration of elections,” Raoul said. “States have authority to regulate the time, place and manner of federal elections. There is no statute that authorizes the executive branch to determine who is entitled to vote in federal elections. I’m filing this lawsuit to protect the fundamental right to vote for the people of Illinois and for all Americans.” According to Raoul, President Trump signed an executive order on March 31 attempting to create a national list of eligible voters, directing mail ballots only be sent by the U.S. Postal Service to those listed, while threatening states with criminal prosecution or loss of funding if they do not comply.
The coalition’s complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, argues that only Congress can make such changes under the Constitution, not the president alone. The attorneys general also claim that implementing these changes would force states like Illinois—where registered voters may cast ballots by mail if they meet certain requirements—to disregard their own procedures just months before an election cycle begins.
Raoul’s office has long advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants, and seniors according to its official website. Each year it handles thousands of consumer complaints according to its official website, works toward protecting consumers’ rights as well as promoting safer communities according to its official website, extends advocacy efforts across Illinois according to its official website, partners with law enforcement agencies according to its official website, and offers services such as fraud complaint filing according to its official website.
In their legal challenge, Raoul and other attorneys general allege that enforcing this executive order would violate separation of powers principles while disrupting established state election processes—potentially causing confusion among voters ahead of upcoming contests.
