In a significant legal setback for former President Donald Trump, a federal judge in Seattle has blocked his administration from enforcing major portions of a controversial executive order on elections against the states of Oregon and Washington. The ruling safeguards their vote-by-mail systems from new federal requirements.
Court Halts Key Election Order Provisions
US District Judge John H. Chun issued the ruling on January 10, 2026, finding that the Trump administration overstepped its authority. The executive order, originally issued in March, sought to impose two critical changes: requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and mandating that all mail-in ballots be physically received by Election Day, not just postmarked by then.
The judge determined these demands violated the constitutional separation of powers. He emphasized that the authority to regulate federal elections resides with Congress and the individual states, not the President. This decision aligns with similar rulings in cases brought by 19 states in Massachusetts and by Democratic and civil rights groups in Washington, D.C.
A "Huge Victory" for Vote-by-Mail States
Washington and Oregon, which conduct elections exclusively by mail, argued the order would cause them specific and severe harm. Their systems allow ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive at election offices later.
State officials warned that the Election Day receipt rule would disenfranchise thousands of legitimate voters. Data from the 2024 general election underscores this concern: Washington counted nearly 120,000 ballots received after Election Day but postmarked on time, while Oregon received nearly 14,000 such ballots.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown hailed the judgment as a "huge victory for voters in Washington and Oregon, and for the rule of law." He stated, "The court enforced the long-standing constitutional rule that only States and Congress can regulate elections, not the Election Denier-in-Chief."
Broader Implications and Context
The now-blocked executive order had also threatened to put states' federal funding at risk if local election officials failed to comply. The legal challenge by Oregon and Washington was filed separately from other states due to the unique threat the order posed to their established mail-in voting processes.
The order was part of a broader push by Trump and some Republican allies, who have promoted unfounded claims about non-citizens voting illegally. In reality, voting by noncitizens is exceptionally rare, and individuals caught doing so face severe penalties, including felony charges and deportation.
This ruling represents another judicial affirmation of the limits of presidential power over state-run election procedures, particularly concerning methods that have been securely in place for years in several states.
