Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Apr. 24 that he and a coalition of 23 states have filed a motion for summary judgment to permanently block President Trump’s executive order concerning mail voting and voter eligibility.
The motion is part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging the legality of the executive order, which the coalition argues infringes upon states’ constitutional authority over federal elections. The case raises questions about the balance between federal directives and state powers in managing elections.
Raoul said, “President Trump does not have the constitutional authority to make or alter laws governing federal elections. The law is clear that states like Illinois have authority to regulate the time, place and manner of federal elections. This is why my colleagues and I are asking the court to permanently block this unlawful executive order. I will continue to fight to protect the fundamental right to vote for all Americans.”
According to Raoul’s office, President Trump signed an executive order on March 31 attempting to create a national list of eligible voters and instructing the U.S. Postal Service only to send mail ballots to those listed. The order also threatens states with criminal prosecution and loss of federal funding if they do not comply with its requirements.
Earlier in April, Raoul joined other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit arguing that these measures would force states like Illinois—where registered voters can cast ballots by mail if they meet state requirements—to disregard their own procedures for voter rolls, registration laws, and vote-by-mail systems.
The coalition’s legal argument asserts that the executive order attempts “to dictate federal voter eligibility lists for each state” and coerce denial of ballots based on those lists; charges both states and postal authorities with compiling such lists; prohibits transmission of ballots from unlisted voters; threatens fiscal injury due to new administrative burdens; exposes officials to legal risk; and harms public trust in election administration.
Raoul’s efforts reflect broader advocacy work by his office across Illinois—including supporting vulnerable groups such as workers, immigrants, seniors (according to its official website), handling thousands of consumer complaints annually (according to its official website), protecting consumers’ rights as well as environmental issues (according to its official website), partnering with law enforcement agencies (according to its official website), extending advocacy throughout Illinois (according to its official website), and offering services including complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights violations (according to its official website).
Joining Raoul are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont Virginia Washington Wisconsin as well as Pennsylvania’s governor.
