Trump’s Voting Rule Change Sparks Lawsuit Over Overseas Voters

Lawsuit claims Trump administration made voting harder for overseas citizens. Key details on new rule and legal battle.

October 2, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A lawsuit filed by the Democratic National Committee alleges that the Trump administration altered a voting form used by U.S. citizens overseas, making it more difficult for some to register to vote.

The complaint states that the Department of Defense changed the form by declaring an emergency, which allowed them to remove a specific box that was typically checked by potential voters who are U.S. citizens but have never lived in the United States. These voters, often children of U.S. citizens, can cast ballots in 38 states if they have close family connections.

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The move comes as Republicans have increasingly targeted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which allows overseas voters to participate in U.S. elections. The lawsuit argues that the change was made without proper notice and could potentially disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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