Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking To Make Voting Changes

President Trump has signed an executive order pushing for stricter voter registration measures, with states urged to verify citizenship or risk losing federal grants. How will this impact election security and state powers?

Quick Takes

Trump’s new executive order mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
States must comply or potentially lose federal funding.
The order also intends to stop ballots received post-Election Day from being counted.
The order aligns with Trump’s and many conservatives’ efforts to secure elections.
Legal challenges are anticipated over presidential authority.

Strengthening Voter Registration

President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at toughening voter registration standards by mandating that states include a citizenship question on voter registration forms. This move, according to Trump, stems from his long-standing concerns about election integrity and aims to secure elections by ensuring that only eligible citizens vote.

The order also discourages the use of barcodes or QR codes in vote counting, citing concerns about election integrity. This is particularly relevant for states like Georgia that utilize voting machines equipped with these technologies.

States failing to implement the new standards risk losing crucial federal grants. The directive includes a provision that all ballots must be received by Election Day to be counted, addressing complaints about counting ballots that arrive late. This aligns with Trump’s continuous assertions about the need for stricter election protocols.

Trump spoke about the executive order before signing it, saying, “Perhaps some people think I shouldn’t be complaining, because we won in a landslide, but we’ve got to straighten out our election.”

Trump signs executive order to toughen voter registration standards https://t.co/Cm0bgDaSCf pic.twitter.com/1Fsjf3HFmB

— American Military News (@AmerMilNews) March 27, 2025

Support and Criticism

Trump’s move aims to fulfill campaign promises and aligns with concerns shared by many conservatives in the US. During the past administration, former President Biden issued an executive order aiming to boost voter registration, which Republicans largely argued amounted to overreach.

On the other hand, the recent order from Trump may be set to face legal challenges from Democrats, with attorney Marc Elias, having already threatened to sue. Colorado’s secretary of state, Jena Griswold, claimed Trump is “trying to make it harder for voters to fight back at the ballot box.” Some critics have also questioned how this move will impact state jurisdiction over elections.

As the nation anticipates further moves from Trump regarding future election strategies, time will tell how this executive order’ stipulations are applied across the US.