Trump signs sweeping action overhauling US elections, including requiring proof of citizenship
Source: AP
Updated 6:20 PM EDT, March 25, 2025
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.
The order says the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and calls on states to work with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. It threatens to pull federal funding from states where election officials don’t comply.
The move, which is likely to face swift challenges because states have broad authority to set their own election rules, is consistent with Trump’s long history of railing against election processes. He often claims elections are being rigged, even before the results are known, and has waged battles against certain voting methods since he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden and falsely blamed it on widespread fraud.
Trump has focused particularly on mail voting, arguing without evidence that it’s insecure and invites fraud even as he has shifted his position on the issue given its popularity with voters, including Republicans. While fraud occurs, it’s rare, limited in scope and gets prosecuted.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/voting-elections-trump-executive-order-4e9edb53f47e61e241a43ceef8164022
To distract from the release of classified info on an "app".
Article updated.
Original article -
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.
The order says the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and calls on states to work with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. It threatens to pull federal funding from states where election officials don’t comply.
The move, which is likely to face swift challenges from voting rights organizations, is consistent with Trump’s long history of railing against election processes. He often claims elections are being rigged, even before the results are known, and has waged battles against certain voting methods since he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden and falsely blamed it on widespread fraud.
Trump has focused particularly on mail voting, arguing without evidence that it’s insecure and invites fraud even as he has shifted his position on the issue given its popularity with voters, including Republicans. While fraud occurs, it’s rare, limited in scope and gets prosecuted.
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Irish_Dem
(66,909 posts)
DENVERPOPS
(11,558 posts)Trump has said at rallies to his MAGAots, "Vote for me this one last time, and you will never need to vote again"
To damn bad many of MY ancestors didn't have a "Border Patrol", and require Native American Citizenship papers from all the MAGAot's ancestors........
Irish_Dem
(66,909 posts)He needs enough votes to provide cover for the election rigging.
Yes the country has gone down hill since the Europeans first stepped on North American soil.
DENVERPOPS
(11,558 posts)Putin has already shown the Republicans how to win elections, just like Putin does in Russia where he wins with 85% of the vote every election..........
Irish_Dem
(66,909 posts)OrangeJoe
(482 posts)Well that will disenfranchise every member of the Armed Services stationed overseas.
Irish_Dem
(66,909 posts)You can serve your country and risk your life to preserve free and fair elections,
but you cannot vote yourself.
wryter2000
(47,780 posts)The federal government doesn't regulate how elections are run by the states.
dweller
(26,133 posts)He will have an EO eliminating ‘states rights’ soon enough
✌🏻
Klarkashton
(3,213 posts)DENVERPOPS
(11,558 posts)in Florida to decide the election in 2000................
RED state will happily go along with this🤬🤬🤬
Cirsium
(2,137 posts)States run elections, yes, but the federal government can and has taken a role. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is federal legislation that prohibits racial discrimination in voting, for example. Yes, the federal government does regulate how elections are run by the states.
wryter2000
(47,780 posts)I would guess
Cirsium
(2,137 posts)Conservatives have long railed against federal action that prevented race-based discrimination. Decades of disinformation from the right wing has established the bizarre concept in people's minds that whites are actually the victims of racism and of civil rights violations. Millions now believe that. Even here people talk about DEI as though it means giving women and African Americans and other minorities advantages at the expense of more qualified whites. That is the conceptual framework and popular support for this new alternative reality.
Trump can, and will, use the federal government to do whatever he can to interfere with elections, in a bizarro world mirror image of the historical use of the federal government to enforce voter rights.
But, but can he do that? How many times have people asked that question about various things i regard to Trump? The answer is yes, he can do whatever he damned well pleases until and unless he is stopped.
Federal troops seizing ballots? Why not? January 6 style MAGAs attacking polling places to "stop the steal" supported and defended by Trump? Absolutely. MAGA congress critters refusing to seat newly elected members? Possible. More bomb threats to polling places in Democratic areas? Sure. Armed MAGA militia "securing" polling places and intimidating voters and poll workers? Yep. State officials in various states rolling over when threatened by Trump? Count on it. Massive voter disenfranchisement? That program is already rolling along.
Baron2024
(1,492 posts)Trump does not have the authority to do these things, but he does have the power to do these things. This will continue unless and until he is stopped somehow.
Cirsium
(2,137 posts)"Trump does not have the authority to do these things, but he does have the power to do these things."
bsiebs
(810 posts)for the next two years, that means we need a few republicans to grow a spine and work with our Democratic party....
TheFarseer
(9,572 posts)That don’t go along with his schemes.
This is Rule by Gangsterism. Rule by Threat. Rule by Extortion. A mechanism of dictatorship.
sinkingfeeling
(54,739 posts)The Supreme Court has held that Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, provides for Congress, not the courts, to regulate how states exercise their authority over Senate and House elections,15 although courts may hear cases concerning claims of one-person, one-vote violations and racial gerrymandering.
Where's the Executive equivalent?
wnylib
(25,205 posts)the president by the Constitution.
Chi67
(1,149 posts)He can't do it. He has no power to do it.
BlueKota
(4,103 posts)Baron2024
(1,492 posts)Trump does not have the legal authority to do these things, but he does have the power. He is using Executive Orders as quasi-legal diktats. Under the Constitution, he does not have this authority. But given his control of the Executive Branch, he apparently does have the power. It is just an illegal power. He will continue abusing this power unless and until he is stopped somehow. So he does not have the authority, but he does have the power.
Blue_playwright
(1,589 posts)Would have been put to better use as a piece of toilet paper for his fat butt.
wnylib
(25,205 posts)AmericaUnderSiege
(777 posts)Republicans arguing "states' rights" since forever to preserve racist and arbitrary procedures in their base states, now claiming totalitarian federal powers through offices they don't have to rig elections some more.
Get fucked, you treasonous Nazi pigs.
Karasu
(837 posts)dreams.
Buddyzbuddy
(584 posts)the authority of states rights but voting should be under the control of the Federal Gov't.?
I'm so confused.
Xipe Totec
(44,273 posts)Because that makes total sense.
LetMyPeopleVote
(160,552 posts)trump does not have the power to change election laws by executive order
From Marc Elias https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-voting-elections-executive-order/
The Trump administration claimed the executive order was necessary to prevent election fraud, specifically noncitizens voting in federal elections. However, election fraud, including noncitizens voting, is exceptionally rare.
Democratic election officials quickly decried the order.
“Trump’s executive order is unlawful,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement. “It would prevent eligible Americans from exercising their sacred right to vote. The Trump administration is weaponizing the federal government and trying to make it harder for voters to fight back at the ballot box.”
“This is not a statute,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told Democracy Docket. “This is an edict by fiat from the executive branch, and so every piece of it can be challenged through the regular judicial process.”
“But what is most disturbing is the attitude behind it, and that is that it appears as though this is another one of the administration’s building blocks in an attempt to avoid having to face the voters in 2026,” Fontes added. “I genuinely believe that the Trump administration wants to cancel the 2026 elections so that he and his party can stay in power, and we have to fight like hell against that by every means available.”
PortTack
(35,446 posts)
FakeNoose
(37,007 posts)Thank you Marc Elias!
Pinback
(13,101 posts)
Wiz Imp
(4,468 posts)The federal government does not set standards for how elections are administered. Those standards are set by each individual state. The President has no authority over elections. PERIOD.
WarGamer
(16,663 posts)Specifically names Congress... House and Senate.
Wiz Imp
(4,468 posts)are still the jurisdiction of each individual state - even for Presidential elections.
MichMan
(14,614 posts)They also can't make the voting age in Federal elections to be 16 years old or 25 years old either.
Wiz Imp
(4,468 posts)There is nothing in the constitution about early voting or mail-in ballots. Things like that are totally the jurisdiction of the individual states.
GoreWon2000
(1,339 posts)for Florida despite the U.S. constitution giving the states the authority to run elections in order to install W. "States rights'" is only being used by the magas when it suits their purposes for taking away fundamental rights.
Martin Eden
(14,052 posts)And/or intends to do.
The Felon and his minions will do everything they can to rig the 2026 election.
FloridaBlues
(4,491 posts)Court will put this on hold. I can see this going to the Supreme Court. He truly believes he is king.
moonshinegnomie
(3,237 posts)the constitution is clear
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(25,015 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(120,728 posts)
BootinUp
(49,527 posts)ToxMarz
(2,301 posts)It's because it is the easiest to make unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about that can never be proven or disproven. It's just about chaos and the willingness of his followers to substitute beliefs, common sense wisdoms, and alternate facts wherever convenient. Like their religions, the ends justify the means. If it benefits them, it's all OK.
hay rick
(8,589 posts)He's using the noise and attention to the text chain as cover for something he wants- more voter suppression.
Deuxcents
(21,516 posts)
kacekwl
(8,113 posts)then we'll have to eliminate the one we don't want
YepYep
(11 posts)Their votes won’t make it to the US by Election Day.
WarGamer
(16,663 posts)BUT IIRC, States do NOT have power over POTUS elections.
moniss
(6,834 posts)voting more difficult if not finding a way to mostly nullify elections.
creon
(1,439 posts)Elections are regulated at the state level.
The EO does nothing.
YoshidaYui
(43,417 posts)THATS A FUCKING LAUGH
Scrivener7
(54,890 posts)
Initech
(104,352 posts)That man is *NOT* entitled to power, no matter how much his stupid fucking worthless ass kissing propaganda outlets kiss his sorry ass and convince him that he is, and he doesn't own the fucking White House. Deal with it, asshole. 
CaptainTruth
(7,513 posts)
turbinetree
(25,956 posts)
pat_k
(11,063 posts)ACLU
@aclu.org
BREAKING: President Trump signed an executive order that aims to upend U.S. elections and disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
This is an extreme abuse of power — we'll see him in court.
March 25, 2025 at 2:59 PM
https://bsky.app/profile/aclu.org/post/3llabfkntwc25
Democracy Docket:
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-anti-voting-order-draws-furious-pushback/
lees1975
(6,359 posts)The states have control over the conduct of elections. The executive branch, zero. This is unenforceable. What an intelligent, and well taught media person would point out the civics lesson, rather than print the sensational headline.
Donman
(7 posts)Can you believe that Trump has enough mental acuity to come up with something like this? His minions just foumd another way to make life more miserable for citizens that want to vote. It's a more sophisticated and nefarious way to suppress voting.
jgmiller
(531 posts)It was decided that way so different states could have different requirements or discriminate. Unfortunately that means he can try and make the EAC include a citizenship check in their form which thereby makes it a requirement in all states. These people are morons in general but that doesn't mean they are all morons, they have some smart, sneaky people amongst them.
BumRushDaShow
(149,651 posts)I know I have posted a billion times that THE STATES (and Congress based on what laws they passed associated with it) are the ones who are responsible for "elections". Non-citizens are already forbidden from voting in federal elections.
This nonsense now becomes the equivalent of a "poll tax" (a violation of the 24h Amendment) by requiring a voter to "prove" citizenship, which would most likely have a "cost" associated with it (e.g., obtaining a birth certificate, which requires payment of a fee in many states).
liberalgunwilltravel
(745 posts)Was to distract from the security breach shit show. Nothing more, nothing less. The EO isn't worth the Sharpie it was signed with.
BGRD
(14 posts)Trump doesn't have the power to control elections. The Supremes said so . He is throwing a dead cat on the table to to distract everyone from the demonstrated incompetence of his hand picked National Insecurity team.
The whole point of Trumps tactic is that everyone will be screaming "there's a dead cat on the table" instead of talking about the issue that is causing Trump grief.
mdbl
(6,010 posts)no drop boxes, closing precincts, deriding the poll workers as if their criminals, etc. This is what you end up with when a bunch of fascist assholes are put in places of power.
LetMyPeopleVote
(160,552 posts)In a brazen power-grab, the president is trying to assert new authority over federal elections. Court fights appear inevitable.
https://bsky.app/profile/slashersteve.bsky.social/post/3llc5gq2xrd2r
There’s a term for efforts by presidents to assert authority that they do not have: They’re called power-grabs.
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/elections-executive-order-trump-claims-powers-not-rcna198163
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order attempting a major overhaul of American elections, requiring people to prove their citizenship when they register to vote. The order — which also includes an array of other changes, from mail-in ballot deadlines to election equipment — could risk disenfranchising tens of millions of Americans. Election law experts questioned whether Trump had the authority to make the changes, saying the order is all but certain to be met with legal challenges.
Last year, congressional Republicans tried to advance legislation called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (or SAVE Act), that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill did not, however, pass the Senate or become law.....
But that’s not all the latest executive order does. From the NBC News report:
The executive order makes a number of other sweeping changes, including prohibiting certain election equipment that uses QR codes. Those changes would force states to buy and install new election equipment at significant cost. The order also requires that all ballots must be received by Election Day, an attempt to override states that allow mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day to be received afterward. It also asks the Department of Government Efficiency and federal agencies to hunt through state voter rolls in pursuit of ineligible voters.[/blockquote]
A Washington Post report summarized the problem succinctly: “The U.S. Constitution designates the power to regulate the ‘time, place and manner’ of elections to the states, with the proviso that Congress can step in and override those laws. It gives no specific power to the president to do so. Election experts said that Trump was claiming power he does not have and that lawsuits over the measure were all but guaranteed.”
The SAVE Act is dead and this executive order is both poorly written and totally unenforceable. trump is desperate to stop free and fair elections