LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Officials from 23 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a new executive order from President Donald Trump that targets mail-in voting and expands federal involvement in elections.
The lawsuit argues the directive is unconstitutional and interferes with states’ authority to administer elections, a power traditionally reserved for state governments.
The executive order includes provisions that would restrict aspects of mail-in voting and introduce new federal systems for verifying voter eligibility. Supporters of the order say it is intended to strengthen election security and ensure only eligible voters cast ballots.
Critics, however, argue the changes could limit access to voting and create confusion ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Melinda Billingsley, communications director for Voters Not Politicians, said the order is part of a broader pattern of efforts to restrict voting access.
“When politicians can’t win elections, they resort to restricting who can participate in elections just to protect their own political power,” Billingsley said.
She said the proposal could create uncertainty for voters and undermine confidence in election systems.
“It just puts a lot of extra chaos into our election process, and that is one of the biggest threats to free and fair elections,” she said.
Billingsley also raised concerns about provisions that could expand federal involvement in voter data systems, warning they could expose sensitive personal information.
“It also exposes voters’ private and sensitive data … we don’t know what’s happening with that data,” she said.
The lawsuit comes months after a federal court dismissed a separate attempt by the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain detailed voter data from Michigan, including sensitive personal identifiers.
Billingsley said the latest executive order could impact voting access if implemented, particularly for voters who rely on absentee ballots.
“There’s a good chance if this executive order were to actually go through and be implemented, we wouldn’t have access to [current voting options] anymore,” she said.
She emphasized that Michigan already has systems in place to ensure both access and security in elections, including voter identification requirements and absentee ballot regulations.
“There’s so much involved in administering an election … our local clerks, our county clerks, our election workers, they know their job, they do their job well,” Billingsley said.
The lawsuit is expected to move through federal court as states seek to block the order before it can take effect.
