Washington state is fighting President Trump's latest attempt to give the federal government more control over vote-by-mail elections.

Why it matters: Trump's March 31 executive order aims to bar the U.S. Postal Service from mailing federal election ballots to anyone not on a federally approved list — a shift state officials say would disenfranchise many Washington voters.

Driving the news: Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is co-leading a lawsuit challenging the president's order, which Brown called "patently unconstitutional."

• About two dozen states are parties in the lawsuit, which argues Trump's order violates the Constitution's separation of powers and unlawfully interferes with states' mail voting programs.
• "Mail-in voting is safe and legal in Washington," Brown said in a news release Friday, when the lawsuit was filed. "We will do everything we can to defend it."

All Washington counties have voted by mail since 2011.

Catch up quick: Trump's March 31 order directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop lists of citizens over 18 who are residents of each state and transmit those lists to state elections officials.

• The order directs the U.S. Postal Service to maintain a "mail-in and absentee participation list" and to not transmit ballots from people who aren't on the list.

What they're saying: State officials say the Constitution grants exclusive authority over elections to states and Congress, not the president.

• "The President's attempt to prevent registered voters from receiving ballots is unconstitutional and unfair to voters," Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a written statement last week.
• Hobbs said Washington regularly reviews its voter rolls and aims to "make voting easy by sending ballots to all registered voters."
• "When issues do occur, our system is designed to identify and resolve them swiftly," Hobbs said.

By the numbers: Washington state found 15 instances of noncitizens voting between 1982 and 2025 — 0.000006% of ballots cast, Hobbs said.

The other side: The White House dismissed the state's arguments.

• "Only Democrat politicians and operatives would be upset about lawful efforts to secure American elections and ensure only eligible American citizens are casting ballots," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson wrote in a statement to Axios.

What's next: The states are asking a federal judge to declare parts of Trump's executive order unconstitutional and to block them from taking effect.

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Get out the sunscreen — today is likely to be Seattle's warmest day of the year so far.

Why it matters: Seattleites have been soaking up the sun and warm rays for the past three days, but cooler temperatures are on their way.

Driving the news: Highs are forecast to brush up against 70 before dropping about 10-15 degrees tomorrow and settling back into the mid-50s to near 60 for the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service.

What they're saying: "I think anyone who's been here a while knows to expect disappointment," said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle. "There's a reason people don't come here for spring break."

What's next: The rest of the week might not be as warm, but it won't be a washout either, with sun and blue skies in the forecast through Friday, according to NWS Seattle meteorologist Dana Felton.

Zoom out: Later sunsets are just around the corner. Seattle's will hit 8pm starting April 16, but more daylight doesn't always mean sunnier weather this time of year.

• Locals joke that summer doesn't reliably start until July 5, after the fireworks and false starts of June — sometimes called "June-uary" for its stubborn stretch of chilly gray.

The bottom line: It might feel like spring has arrived, but don't get your hopes up too much. In Seattle, that feeling rarely sticks.

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💥 A 10-court indoor pickleball club opened over the weekend in Fremont, taking over a former Theo Chocolate warehouse at 124 North 35th Street. (MyNorthwest)

⚖️ Four sheriffs from Eastern Washington are suing to block a new law that raises eligibility standards for sheriffs and makes it easier to remove them from office. (Washington State Standard)

Phone-free bars and restaurants are emerging across the U.S. as people seek to disconnect from screens and devices.

• This trend is emerging amid a societal shift, with several countries imposing social media bans for children and teens, some U.S. states prohibiting phone use at school, and more live events restricting phones.

By the numbers: Gen Z is among those embracing analog in an effort to unplug, with 63% of them saying they intentionally disconnect from devices, according to a December 2025 survey from Talker Research.

• Millennials are next (57%), then Generation X (42%), with baby boomers the least likely to intentionally unplug (29%).

At least 11 states now have restaurants or bars with some form of phone restriction or a digital-detox incentive.

• Washington, D.C., has the most such venues in the U.S. (five). Others can be found in Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tennessee, North Carolina, New York and Texas.

Zoom in: The trend has been slower to catch on in tech-focused Seattle. But some are embracing it.

• Zylberschtein's Delicatessen & Bakery in North Seattle hosts The No Phones Supper Club each month — "a phone-free evening of shared meals, live music from local musicians, and meaningful community connection."

The big picture