Louisiana sues key federal election agency to implement its anti-voting law

Louisiana sued a key federal election agency Tuesday for barring the southeastern state from implementing a restrictive law requiring residents to prove their citizenship to register to vote. 

The lawsuit — filed by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) and Secretary of State Nancy Landry (R) — accuses the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) of violating the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Administrative Procedure Act for refusing to approve changes to state-specific instructions on the federal voter registration form. 

When Louisiana passed its proof of citizenship law in 2024, the state asked the EAC — a bipartisan independent federal organization — to approve state-specific language for the federal voter registration form that explains applicants need to provide the appropriate documentation when registering to vote. 

But the commission, which is composed of four members — two from each political party — split in a 2-2 vote on whether to approve Louisiana’s request. Without a majority to approve, the request was rejected. 

In their comments to Louisiana, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland — the two Democratic commissioners — reportedly wrote that “any change to the requirements to prove citizenship when utilizing the federal form should be made by Congress.”

Louisiana’s lawsuit also challenges “provisions in the NVRA purporting to give the EAC this review authority.”

Since it was enacted at the beginning of 2025, Louisiana’s anti-voting law was met with pushback from pro-voting groups who called it “a hackneyed solution in search of a phantom threat.”

Pro-voting groups asked the courts to strike down SB 436 —  Louisiana’s proof of citizenship law — arguing that it violates the First and 14th Amendments, as well as the NVRA.

“The state wants to solve a problem it cannot prove exists,” the complaint read. “SB 436 stands to chill voter registration activity and disenfranchise Louisiana’s most vulnerable voters.”

Litigation* is ongoing in that lawsuit. 

The Elias Law Group (ELG) represents some of the plaintiffs in the consolidated case. ELG Firm Chair Marc Elias is the founder of Democracy Docket.