It’s another campaign promise kept. Former President Donald Trump signed a broad executive order on Tuesday that reshapes how federal elections are managed, reigniting heated national arguments about voter access, election integrity, and presidential authority. The order requires voters to show official proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and states that ballots must be received by Election Day—not just postmarked. It also warns that states failing to comply risk losing federal funding, a move many say could lead to major court battles.
Trump has long argued that the country doesn’t met basic standards for election security. His directive orders federal agencies to share data with state election officials to help remove noncitizens from voter rolls. It also calls for tighter enforcement from the Department of Justice and urges the Election Assistance Commission to limit the use of barcodes and QR codes in vote-counting systems, which are currently used in states like Georgia, writes The Associated Press.
Supporters say the measure is necessary to protect the integrity of elections. However, Democrats warn it could block millions from voting. They believe, without ever giving much proof, that minorities and women are not capable of proving their citizenship. The Brennan Center, for example, for Justice claims that around 21 million eligible Americans don’t have immediate access to proof of citizenship.
Fourteen states don’t ask for ID when people vote in person, and Harris won 12 of them.
The executive order reflects many ideas in the SAVE Act, a bill supported by Republicans in Congress to protect . While federal law already bans noncitizens from voting, Trump’s directive puts additional pressure on voter registration and ballot-counting systems.
Some Republicans welcomed the order. Wisconsin Representative Bryan Steil called it a “welcome action.” Still, the outcome may rest with federal courts as they weigh the delicate balance between state rights and federal oversight.
