Trump administration's quiet move makes it harder for some US citizens abroad to vote, lawsuit says – militarynews.com

Trump administration’s quiet move makes it harder for some US citizens abroad to vote, lawsuit says  militarynews.com

The Democratic National Committee is filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration Wake County Board of Elections employees prepare absentee ballots to be mailed on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Raleigh, N.C. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives a State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 in Quantico, Va. The Democratic National Committee on Thursday filed a lawsuit alleging that President Donald Trump's administration secretly changed a postcard used by U.S. citizens overseas in a way that makes it harder to register to vote. The lawsuit contends that the Department of Defense made the change by declaring an emergency, which allowed it to eliminate a specific box on the form.

That box is typically checked by potential voters who acknowledge they are U.S. citizens but who have never lived in the United States. They are usually the children of U.S. citizens, and 38 states allow them to cast ballots provided they have close family connections. Since 2013, the box has appeared on postcards sent to overseas voters. Republicans have filed lawsuits in multiple states trying to prevent those voters, who typically support Democrats, from casting ballots. Thursday's lawsuit contends that the administration simply made the change on its own without giving proper notice. “These American citizens pay U.S. federal and state taxes, but