The coalition filed suit April 3 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts challenging Trump's March 31 executive order. The order is attempting to establish a national list of eligible voters and directs the U.S. Postal Service to transmit mail ballots only to those on the federal list.
The executive order threatens states and election officials with criminal prosecution and loss of federal funding if they fail to comply. The attorneys general argue the order would require states to act contrary to their own voter roll procedures, vote-by-mail systems, and voter registration laws.
"The Constitution plainly forbids the President from commandeering elections to manipulate and micromanage how we vote. This executive order is an illegal attempt to disenfranchise millions of voters and fundamentally alter how Americans vote," said Attorney General Tong.
The coalition argues the order violates the separation of powers and unlawfully interferes with states' constitutional authority to administer elections. They contend the order would force states to upend their existing election administration procedures within weeks of primary elections and months before mail voting begins for the 2026 general election.
The attorneys general warn such rapid changes would create "confusion, chaos, and distrust in state election systems" while threatening to disenfranchise eligible voters. The coalition seeks a court order preventing the federal government from implementing or enforcing the executive order.
The lawsuit was led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. Joining Connecticut are attorneys general from California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Pennsylvania.