Common Cause Minnesota is encouraging state lawmakers to reassert their right to control Minnesota elections in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order overriding Minnesota voting laws. 

On Tuesday, President Trump released an executive order imposing the authority of the White House over our elections in Minnesota.  Despite the questionable legality of this order, any state that does not comply with its directives will have their funding for elections pulled. This is outside of the purview and authority of the executive branch. Our Constitution grants only Congress that authority.  

This executive order is a clear overreach. The separation of Congressional and Executive branches is vital for safeguarding our Republic’s system of democracy. It ensures checks and balances, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.  

“A president does not set election law for Minnesota, and they never will. This questionable executive order works to eliminate online registration for Minnesotans. By imposing stringent proof of citizenship requirements and restricting mail-in voting, the order disproportionately affects marginalized Minnesotans, including low-income individuals and rural voters. These measures create unnecessary barriers to voting, effectively denying access to the ballot for many legitimate voters under the guise of preventing fraud. This undermines the democratic process and erodes the fundamental right to vote.  Baseless disinformation should not be shaping our election policy and laws. Minnesotans deserve clear-headed, fact-based commonsense reforms making voting accessible while ensuring our voice is heard. The Constitution clearly leaves election procedures to Congress and the states; we ask our legislators to take back control of our elections,” said Annastacia Belladona Carrera, Common Cause Minnesota Executive Director.