April 3, 2026 11:00 a.m. 

The State of Oregon is joining a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order targeting vote-by-mail.

A release from the Governor’s Office said Governor Tina Kotek fully supports the new legal challenge by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of states. The lawsuit argues that the executive order is an unconstitutional attempt to interfere with state-run election systems and to undermine access to voting.

Governor Kotek said, “Today, Oregon is moving to block President Trump’s unconstitutional voter suppression effort”. Governor Kotek said, “His attack on the fundamental right of every American to vote has nothing to do with election integrity and everything to do with silencing people so he can ultimately influence election results”.

On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order that imposes new federal restrictions on mail-in voting and election administration, despite the longstanding authority of states to run their own elections as granted by the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit argues that the executive order exceeds presidential authority and attempts to override state election laws without Congressional approval. States have long held primary authority over election administration under the U.S. Constitution, and Oregon officials say the federal government cannot unilaterally impose new rules designed to restrict lawful voting methods.