Court Case
State of Louisiana v. U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Louisiana sued the Election Assistance Commission to change the federal voter registration form to add unlawful and burdensome requirements for proving citizenship. The Brennan Center and co-counsel filed a motion to intervene on behalf of voting rights organizations to protect access to the ballot box for eligible voters in Louisiana and beyond.
On April 14, 2026, Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) because the agency denied the state’s requests to modify the state-specific instructions on the federal voter registration form used across the country. Louisiana wants to require voters to provide additional proof of citizenship, such as a unique immigration number. These new requirements would violate the National Voter Registration Act and are unnecessary and burdensome.
The suit stems from a state law Louisiana enacted in 2024, which requires voters to present proof of citizenship to register to vote in state elections. Although this law has technically been in effect for almost two years, the secretary of state’s office has not taken steps to implement it.
Over the course of 2025, the Louisiana Secretary of State submitted several requests to the EAC, seeking a modification of Louisiana’s state-specific instructions on the federal form that would allow the state to ask applicants for additional proof of citizenship for federal elections. Louisiana claimed that, because it did not want separate rules for state and federal elections, it would not revise its state voter registration form until the EAC approved its requested changes to the federal form. The EAC denied Louisiana’s requests, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act and the agency’s longstanding practice.
On April 14, 2026, Louisiana filed suit against the EAC in an attempt to compel the agency to change the federal form to add unlawful and burdensome requirements for proving citizenship. The suit alleges the EAC violated the Administrative Procedure Act and acted in excess of its statutory authority in refusing Louisiana’s requests. The suit also alleges that the National Voter Registration Act is unconstitutional to the extent it limits states’ authority to establish voting qualifications.
On April 17, 2026, the League of Women Voters of Louisiana, League of Women Voters of Louisiana Education Fund, League of Women Voters of the United States, League of Women Voters Education Fund, Voice of the Experienced, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Louisiana State Conference, and the Power Coalition filed a motion to intervene as defendants to ensure that the federal form is not unlawfully modified. They are represented by the Brennan Center, ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, Campaign Legal Center, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Documents
Stay up to date