Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced on April 3 that she has joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and one governor in filing a lawsuit against President Trump. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges an executive order signed by President Trump on March 31 that seeks to impose federal control over state election procedures.
The case is significant because it addresses the constitutional authority of states to manage their own elections without interference from the federal government. The executive order directs the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to voters listed on a national registry approved by federal authorities and threatens states with criminal prosecution and loss of funding if they do not comply.
“The Constitution makes clear that states administer elections in America – not the federal government,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Changes to election rules cannot be made by the President through a blatantly unlawful executive order that seeks to disenfranchise voters in the name of debunked conspiracy theories about widespread fraud from voting by mail. Americans trust their local and state officials to run free, fair, and secure elections. We are confident the courts will reject this blatant power grab.”
The attorneys general argue that implementing such an order would force states to disregard their established voter registration laws and vote-by-mail systems, creating confusion just months before major elections. They claim these rapid changes could disrupt planning efforts, cause distrust among voters, and potentially disenfranchise eligible participants.
New Jersey has allowed voting by mail for decades, with between 20% and 30% of votes cast this way over recent years. Security measures include unique barcodes, voter identification checks on ballot envelopes, signature verification against registration records, certifications completed by voters, and prepaid return postage.
According to the official website, the New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin aims to protect residents’ lives and property while upholding legal standards across all counties and municipalities in New Jersey according to its official website. The office also provides statewide enforcement support for public safety matters according to its official website, oversees law enforcement agencies according to its official website, prosecutes offenses under statutory mandates according to its official website, offers crime lab services as well as victim advocacy programs according to its official website, and functions as a key agency focused on justice throughout New Jersey according to its official website.
Davenport is joined in this legal challenge by attorneys general from California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington State, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; Oregon; Rhode Island; Vermont; Virginia; Wisconsin; Washington D.C.; as well as Pennsylvania’s governor.
