Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced on Apr. 3 that he has joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and one governor in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over an executive order regarding federal control of elections. The suit, to be filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges the legality of the executive order which seeks to restrict voter eligibility and mail voting based on lists pre-approved by the federal government.
The coalition argues that this action is significant because it could undermine states’ authority to manage their own election procedures, potentially impacting how voters are registered and how mail-in ballots are distributed and counted.
According to the complaint, President Trump’s executive order would require states to disregard their established voter roll procedures, vote-by-mail systems, and registration laws. The president’s directive also threatens state officials with criminal prosecution and loss of federal funding if they do not comply with these new requirements.
“With the stroke of a pen, this President is attempting to undermine elections and sidestep the deeply rooted authority of states to administer elections,” said Attorney General Neronha. “This President cannot be permitted to bypass the Constitution by threatening officials and withholding congressionally approved funding, as we have proved in court time and time again. With upcoming elections deciding our next leaders, from city council to Congress, we will not jeopardize the integrity of our democratic process to appease the individual at the helm of the executive branch. This is a direct attack on the central pillar of our democracy, and we will not let this Administration restrict Rhode Islanders’ right to vote.”
The attorneys general contend that both state and federal law entitle all eligible voters—regardless of party or demographic—to cast ballots either in person or by mail if they meet state requirements. They argue that only Congress has authority over changes in federal election procedures under constitutional separation-of-powers principles.
The complaint further claims that implementing such sweeping changes so close to primary contests would cause confusion among voters while threatening established systems for administering fair elections at both state and local levels.
Joining Rhode Island are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York North Carolina Oregon Vermont Virginia Washington Wisconsin as well as Pennsylvania’s governor.
