Trump administration’s quiet move makes it harder for some US citizens abroad to vote, lawsuit says, tell me about this news today
02-10-2026
The lawsuit, filed by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) against the Department of Defense and the Trump administration, challenges a sudden federal rule change affecting Americans living overseas.
Ground NewsHere are the key details of what happened:
The ChangeThe Pentagon altered the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)the standardized form that military personnel and overseas civilian citizens use to register and request absentee ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
Most notably, the updated form quietly eliminated a specific checkbox that allowed an applicant to certify: “I am a US citizen living outside the country, I have never lived in the United States”. The administration also adjusted certain ID requirements and removed state-by-state guidance that previously informed citizens born abroad of their eligibility based on their parents’ last state of residence.
AP NewsWho Is AffectedThe move directly impacts “never-resided” voters. These are adult U.S. citizens who were born abroad to American parents and have never physically lived in the United States. Under federal law and the election rules of dozens of states, many of these citizens are legally permitted to vote using their American parents’ last legal state residence. Removing this category from the federal form leaves them with no clear way to register or request a ballot using the standard federal paperwork.
AP NewsThe Lawsuit’s ClaimsDisenfranchisement: The DNC argues the change is an eleventh-hour attempt to suppress votes and disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of overseas Americans who are perceived as leaning Democratic.
Democracy DocketAdministrative Violations: The complaint contends that the Pentagon invoked improper “emergency” measures to push the change through without the mandatory public notice-and-comment period required by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Relief Sought: The plaintiffs have asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to block the use of the revised form and restore the original paperwork ahead of the upcoming elections.
Democracy Docket
Defense Department officials stated that the form update was intended to reduce voter confusion, streamline eligibility certification, and ensure stricter compliance with federal statutory definitions. Republican legal groups have previously argued that individuals who have never lived in the U.S. should face stricter scrutiny or not be automatically extended state-level ballot access.