More than two dozen Democrat-led states have filed a lawsuit against the administration of United States President Donald Trump to block an executive order imposing new limits on mail-in ballots. Friday's legal action comes as voting rights groups charge that Trump is allegedly seeking to make voting more difficult ahead of the consequential midterm elections in November. Trump, meanwhile, has argued that his efforts are purportedly meant to counter rampant voter fraud in US elections, a claim that contradicts findings from independent monitors.
The conservative Heritage Foundation's decades-spanning database has found an exceedingly low rate of election fraud, undermining Trump's assertions. New York Attorney General Letitia James was among the attorneys general from 23 states and the District of Columbia, alongside the governor of Pennsylvania, who filed the suit. In a statement, James argued that Trump's executive order exceeded his presidential power: "Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and no president has the power to rewrite the rules on his own," she said.
Trump's latest executive order, signed on Tuesday, calls on the Department of Homeland Security to "compile and transmit" a list of US citizens eligible to vote in each state. It then requires the United States Postal Service (USPS) to "transmit ballots only to individuals enrolled on a State-specific Mail-in and Absentee Participation List, ensuring that only eligible absentee or mail-in voters receive ballots." Voting rights groups have warned that these measures would likely rely on an incomplete federal list and place excessive burdens on USPS, potentially disenfranchising voters.
In the lawsuit, the states contend that Trump's order violates the US Constitution, which stipulates that state officials decide the "times, places and manner" of elections. They further maintain that only Congress can pass new restrictions related to election conduct, and forcing changes so close to the November elections will create administrative chaos. The midterms will determine which party controls the US House of Representatives and Senate, with Trump having previously voiced concerns about potential impeachment proceedings if Republicans lose their majorities.
For years, Trump has maintained, without evidence, that his 2020 election loss resulted from widespread fraud, and he has pledged reforms to the voting system. His previous executive orders aimed at overhauling US election administration have been largely blocked by courts. The Department of Justice has also sued several states to access voter information, and the FBI's seizure of 2020 election ballots in Georgia has further stoked concerns about electoral integrity under the current regime.
Source: www.aljazeera.com