The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, asks the court to block the federal government from implementing or enforcing the order, the release said.
"The Constitution plainly forbids the President from commandeering elections to manipulate and micromanage how we vote," Tong said in the release. "This executive order is an illegal attempt to disenfranchise millions of voters and fundamentally alter how Americans vote. We are coordinating closely with states across the country and we are suing to protect our democracy."
According to the release, the executive order attempts to establish a national list of eligible voters and directs the Postal Service, which the release describes as an independent federal agency, to transmit mail ballots only to those on the list. The order threatens states and elections officials with criminal prosecution and the loss of federal funding if they do not comply, the release said.
The coalition alleges the order violates the separation of powers and unlawfully interferes with states' mail voting programs, according to the release. The attorneys general argue that the U.S. Constitution gives states the primary authority to administer elections and does not allow the President to unilaterally impose changes to federal election procedures without an act of Congress.
The attorneys general allege the order would require states to "upend their existing election administration procedures" for upcoming elections, including primaries within weeks and the start of mail voting for the 2026 general election within months, the release said. The coalition argues such changes would "create confusion, chaos, and distrust in state election systems."
The release notes that "Voters of all parties, in all states, and of every demographic utilize mail-in voting – including the President himself."
The suit 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 them are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin, along with the Governor of Pennsylvania.