Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, alongside a coalition of 19 attorneys general, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the implementation of Executive Order No. 14248 by the Trump Administration. This executive order is perceived as an attempt to impose broad voting restrictions across the United States.
The executive order includes measures such as requiring state election officials to enforce documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and disregarding mail ballots received after Election Day, despite being cast on time. It also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that do not comply.
AG Ford stated, "This executive order is an attack on democracy and on the sovereignty of Nevada and every other state." He emphasized that the president lacks authority over election regulation, describing the order as "an illegal power grab."
On April 3, AG Ford co-led a lawsuit with California Attorney General Rob Bonta against this executive order. The lawsuit asserts that only states and Congress have the authority to regulate elections. Despite this challenge, steps towards implementing the executive order have begun.
In their motion for a preliminary injunction, the attorneys general argue they are likely to succeed in their lawsuit and highlight the potential harm to their states' interests without judicial intervention. They emphasize that the executive order compromises state election processes by introducing new requirements for voter registration and ballot receipt deadlines.
These requirements force state election officials to adjust quickly or face loss of federal funding. Moreover, enforcing these changes necessitates additional resources for training and public education.
The motion sees AG Ford joined by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.