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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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President Donald Trump has been barred from enforcing parts of an election reform executive order, in what will come as a blow to his administration's priorities.
Judge John, H. Chun, a federal judge in Washington State, ruled Friday that Trump cannot force election officials to set Election Day as the deadline to receive mail-in votes, as declared in the March order. States count absentee or mail-in votes received after Election Day if they are postmarked by Election Day and the ruling affirms their ability to do so.
The White House indicated that it would challenge the ruling.
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“President Trump cares deeply about the integrity of our elections and his executive order takes lawful actions to ensure election security. This is not the final say on the matter and the Administration expects ultimate victory on the issue,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
The issue of election integrity has emerged as a key theme since 2020, when Trump made unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen from him. Though instances of voter fraud are not common, Trump has claimed mail-in ballots are vulnerable to fraud and has made repeated efforts to stop them from being used.
The ruling is significant as it hampers Trump's efforts to alter the running of elections in America. Meanwhile, it also shows that courts have the ability to block his use of executive orders, limiting his power.
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What To Know
Washington and Oregon filed a lawsuit in April arguing that the executive order violated the U.S. Constitution.
Chun, a Seattle judge who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, wrote in a 75-page ruling that Trump did not have the authority to apply the changes in the states his order covered because of separation of powers. He said the order exceeded the president's authority.
He also blocked a provision in the executive order that stopped funding to states that don't use federal forms requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote.
Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. said the ruling shows "the president is not all-powerful."
"The Trump presidency largely aims to get things done through executive orders, having sidelined Congress and often being at odds with the states," he said. "However, this effort to bend state voting processes to his will foundered from the off and this latest ruling of presidential overreach confirms the president is not all-powerful and cannot simply impose his demands on states, especially around electoral practices."
Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social in August that he would issue an executive order to end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
"I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we're at it, Highly 'Inaccurate,' Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election," Trump wrote.
Such a move would also likely spark legal challenges.
What People Are Saying
**U.S. District Judge John H. Chun wrote in his ruling: "**The Constitution assigns the states all authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of elections, subject only to the limitations by Congress. As the Constitution assigns no authority to the president over federal election administration, the president’s authority to promulgate a national ballot-receipt deadline cannot stem from the Constitution.”
**White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital: "**President Trump cares deeply about the integrity of our elections and his executive order takes lawful actions to ensure election security. This is not the final say on the matter and the administration expects ultimate victory on the issue."
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown told The Associated Press: “Today’s ruling is a huge victory for voters in Washington and Oregon, and for the rule of law. The court enforced the long-standing constitutional rule that only States and Congress can regulate elections, not the election denier-in-chief.”
President Donald Trump's executive order said: "Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election."
What Happens Next
The White House said the ruling was "not the final say on the matter."
Shanahan added that it is likely "the Trump administration will appeal, and he'll cite the fact that the judge who made the ruling is a Biden appointment."
Update 1/12/26, 10:49 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the White House.
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