Trump orders sweeping election reform, demands proof of citizenship for voters

President Donald Trump has on Tuesday March 25, 2025, signed an executive order to enforce stricter election rules across the United States.

The order mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections and requires ballots to be received in election day.

Trump said the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and called for tougher measures.

The order instructs states to collaborate with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes.

States that fail to comply risk losing federal funding, according to the directive.

Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that U.S. elections are rigged and filled with fraud.

He has particularly targeted mail-in voting, arguing it is insecure despite its widespread use, even among Republicans.

Voting fraud is rare in the U.S. but is occasionally prosecuted when it occurs.

The order aligns with Republican efforts to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has similar goals.

Voting rights activists fear the proof of citizenship rule could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.

A report shows that 9% of voting-age Americans—about 21.3 million people—lack immediate access to proof of citizenship.

Married women who changed their names may also face registration hurdles due to birth certificate discrepancies.

The directive orders federal agencies to share immigration and social security data with election officials.

Trump also wants the Attorney General to prioritize prosecuting election crimes in states that refuse cooperation.

Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive late.

Trump’s order seeks to end this practice, threatening non-compliant states with funding cuts.

Legal experts say Trump’s order will face strong challenges because election laws are primarily controlled by states.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold called the order an “unlawful” attempt to suppress votes.

Democratic lawmaker Joe Morelle described the move as “immoral and illegal.”

Election lawyer Marc Elias has threatened legal action against the order.

Experts say Congress has power over election regulations but states have primary control over how they are conducted.

Trump’s order directs the Election Assistance Commission to tighten voting system guidelines.

It seeks to ban ballots that rely on QR codes or barcodes for vote counting.

Georgia and several other states use such systems, raising questions about how the order will impact them.

Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger praised Trump’s move as a “great first step for election integrity.”

Wisconsin lawmaker Bryan Steil also welcomed the order, saying it will help secure elections.

Trump’s ally Mike Lindell used the order to raise funds, claiming it will fix America’s “sick elections.”

The Republican National Committee has launched a nationwide probe into voter registration lists.

It has requested records from 48 states and Washington, D.C., on how voter rolls are maintained.

Trump signed the order while claiming, “this will end election fraud, hopefully.”

He promised more election-related actions in the coming weeks.

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