Voters will be obliged to provide proof of citizenship, while mail in voting must conclude before election day
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order to overhaul the American election system, including requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The order, titled ‘Preserving and protecting the integrity of American elections,’ calls on states to work with federal agencies and share voter rolls, as well as prosecute election crimes. It also threatens to slash federal funding for states that fail to comply.
“Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing,” the text of the order reads, listing measures taken by other nations to make the election process more secure, including the introduction of biometric identification and limiting voting by mail.
“Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election,” the document says.
Among other things, the order requires proof of citizenship for voters to be registered in federal elections. The measure is effectively aimed at doing the same thing as the long-anticipated Republican-backed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act). While voting in federal elections by non-citizens is already a felony, Republicans have long argued that more is needed to restore public confidence in elections.
Voting rights groups, however, have been critical of the proposed change, arguing that many voting-age Americans do not have proof of citizenship readily available. According to a 2023 report compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups, some 21.3 million people, around 9% of US citizens of voting age, do not have such documents on hand.
Trump has long been critical of the US voting system, arguing that it is very susceptible to irregularities and fraud. He has been particularly opposed to voting by mail. Under the executive order, votes must now be “cast and received” before the election day, with federal funding conditional on state compliance.
The move has already faced criticism from various parties that have vowed to challenge it in court. Oregon’s secretary of state, Tobias Read, branded the order an “action against democracy.” His state relies heavily on mail-in balloting.
“It is every American citizen’s right to hold politicians accountable at the ballot box. This executive order is a threat to that right and a threat to our responsibility as states to run fair, secure elections. This illegal action against American democracy will be challenged, and it will not stand,” Read said in a statement.
