A federal judge in Boston on Wednesday permanently blocked most provisions of a 2025 executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump that aimed to impose stricter requirements on voter registration and ballot counting. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper ruled that the administration’s efforts to mandate documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and to disallow counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day exceeded presidential authority and infringed on constitutional principles.
The decision transforms a preliminary injunction Casper issued a year ago into a final ruling, preventing the Trump administration from enforcing key elements of the election-related order. Among the prohibited measures were requirements that voters provide evidence of citizenship upon registering, prohibitions on counting mail ballots arriving after Election Day regardless of postmark, and penalties for states that did not comply, including withholding federal funds designated for election security.
Rejecting the administration’s argument that the legal challenge was premature because the rules had not been implemented, Judge Casper emphasized that the Constitution assigns authority over elections to Congress and the states, not the President. “The Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” she wrote. Casper was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
Democratic state officials involved in the lawsuit praised the ruling. New York Attorney General Letitia James called it a victory against what she described as an “unconstitutional attempt to seize control of our elections,” reiterating a commitment to safeguard voting rights during the upcoming midterm elections. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose state led the legal challenge, stated the decision reaffirmed the constitutional balance of election governance and vowed to continue resisting efforts to undermine voting rights.
A White House spokesperson defended the executive order as a lawful way to bolster public confidence in election integrity and indicated the administration may appeal the ruling. “The President’s executive order lawfully protects our elections, and we are confident that we will ultimately prevail in its implementation,” said spokeswoman Abigail Jackson.
This ruling is among several legal setbacks for the Trump administration regarding election-related policies. Following the first order challenged in this case, Trump signed a subsequent executive order proposing the creation of a national voter list and further restrictions on mail-in voting, which is also facing legal challenges in multiple jurisdictions.