A federal judge handed a big win to election integrity supporters this week. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols refused to block President Trump's executive order tightening the rules around mail-in voting. The order stays in place — at least for now.
And here in Nevada, that ruling has a very personal sting for two Democrats who made it their mission to fight it.
What the Order Does
Trump signed Executive Order 14399, titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” on March 31, 2026.
The order calls on the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of confirmed U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state, and requires the U.S. Postal Service to send mail-in ballots only to voters included on those lists.
Simple concept: only verified citizens get ballots.
What the Judge Said
Judge Nichols didn't rule on whether the order is constitutional. He ruled on something more basic: the challengers couldn't prove they'd been harmed yet.
“Given that the Executive Order does not command Plaintiffs to do anything, and that no agency has yet acted pursuant to the Order in a way that could harm Plaintiffs, they have not suffered any harm at present,” Nichols wrote.
You can't run to court to stop something before it happens. The activists wanted to kill this order before it ever took effect. The judge said no.
Nevada's Democrats Led the Charge
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joined a coalition suing the Trump administration over the executive order, calling the move unlawful and unconstitutional.
“President Trump continues to trample the constitutional rights of Nevadans,” said Ford.
Ford, of course, is running for governor. Every press conference is a campaign stop.
Aguilar was equally dramatic.
“When this came out, I immediately said, ‘ We are going to file suit.' Nevada is going to lead that suit because it impacts Nevada more than any other state,” Aguilar said.
More than any other state? That's quite a claim. Nevada is one of eight states that automatically sends voters mail ballots without requiring them to request one.
What Nevada Republicans Are Saying
Not everyone in Nevada is wringing their hands.
“Nevadans, and all Americans, deserve to know that their vote counts and is not diluted by ineligible ballots. Strengthening verification and improving mail-in ballot security are all critical to preserving confidence in our elections,” said Nevada GOP Chairman Michael J. McDonald.
Governor Lombardo has not taken sides in the lawsuit.
His office said:
“The Governor believes elections should be run by the states but supports common sense reforms to Nevada law that strengthen the integrity of our elections.”
Why This Matters in Nevada
In Nevada's 2024 general election, 45% of votes were cast by mail. That's nearly half of all ballots.
With a voter pool that large relying on mail, the accuracy of the voter rolls matters enormously. Our own Citizen Outreach's Pigpen Project has documented voter roll problems for years. Unverified lists mean unverified ballots. The Trump order tries to fix exactly that.
Aguilar's pushback rings hollow when you remember Nevada already had a voter ID ballot measure pass with 73% of the vote in 2024.
Nevada voters will see Question 7 on their ballots again this November. And if it passes — which it should — showing ID to vote becomes part of the Nevada Constitution.
Question 7 would mandate a government-issued photo ID for in-person voting and the last four digits of a Social Security number or driver's license number for mail-in voting.
Valid forms of ID include a driver's license, passport, student ID, or concealed weapon permit. That's a pretty wide net. If you're old enough to vote, you almost certainly have one of these.
Repair the Vote, the PAC behind the initiative, explains:
“Every citizen needs faith that the election process is fair and accurate. A big part of that is to verify the identity of every voter, just as companies verify the identity of the person getting on an aircraft, checking in at a hotel, or cashing a check at a bank.”
What Comes Next
This isn't over. The lawsuit challenging Trump's EO remains pending before Judge Nichols, and a separate case is pending in federal court in Boston. The NAACP said it is weighing its options on appeal. Expect more legal battles before November.
In the meantime, Nevada conservatives should keep the pressure on. Support the Pigpen Project's voter roll accuracy work. Urge your state legislators to pass companion legislation.
And remember in November which side Aaron Ford and Cisco Aguilar chose.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
