Washington [United States], March 26: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) signed an executive order introducing sweeping changes to federal election procedures, aiming to enforce “basic and necessary election protections” in line with practices used by other modern nations.
Citing examples from India and Brazil, Trump emphasized that voters will now be required to provide proof of citizenship in federal elections. Additionally, the order restricts the timeframe within which states can receive mail-in ballots.
According to the executive order, countries like India and Brazil have linked voter identification to biometric databases for greater accuracy, while the US relies primarily on self-attestation of citizenship, raising concerns about voter verification.
The order also highlighted international differences in vote tabulation methods, noting that Germany and Canada mandate the use of paper ballots counted publicly by local officials, which reduces disputes. In contrast, the US employs a varied mix of voting systems, leading to potential chain-of-custody issues.
Further comparisons were drawn with Denmark and Sweden, where mail-in voting is strictly limited to those unable to vote in person, and late-arriving ballots are rejected regardless of postmark. By contrast, several US states allow widespread mail-in voting and accept ballots without postmarks or those arriving well after Election Day.
The executive order mandates the Election Assistance Commission to update its national mail voter registration form within 30 days to require documentary proof of US citizenship. Acceptable documents include a passport, REAL ID-compliant identification, military ID, or another government-issued photo ID indicating citizenship, with state and local officials required to record these details.
To enhance verification processes, the Secretary of Homeland Security must provide state and local officials with free access to citizenship verification systems. Additionally, the Secretary of State will share relevant database information to identify unqualified voters.
Federal agencies under the National Voter Registration Act are also directed to verify citizenship before distributing voter registration forms to public assistance enrollees.
The executive order marks a significant shift in US election policy, setting the stage for potential legal and political debates ahead.