A coalition of civil rights organizations filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging an executive order signed by President Trump that would restrict mail-in voting access, arguing the directive violates the Constitution.
The order, signed Tuesday, directs the federal government to create lists of eligible voters in each state and instructs the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to those named on the lists.
The civil rights groups contend the measure is unconstitutional, though the specific legal grounds cited were not detailed in initial announcements. The lawsuit represents an early legal test of the administration's voting access policies as it takes office.
The challenge comes as voting access remains a contentious political issue, with election administration typically falling to states rather than the federal government. Mail-in voting expanded significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become a fixture in many states' electoral processes.
The timing of the legal action suggests civil rights advocates view the order as a significant enough threat to warrant immediate court intervention. The case will likely hinge on questions of federal authority over elections, voting access rights, and whether the executive order exceeds the president's constitutional powers.
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