Trump signs order creating verified voter list, mail ballot limits raises concerns before midterms

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at creating a nationwide list of verified eligible voters. The order also targets restrictions on mail-in voting.

This move didn’t sit well with many Democratic leaders, who are already threatening legal action, especially with the midterm elections coming up. The order tells the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to team up and build voter lists for each state.

Trump has also suggested putting the agency under more federal control, including a plan to move it into the Commerce Department. The order aims to stop the US Postal Service from sending out absentee ballots to people who aren’t on those official lists. A Postal Service spokesperson said the agency is reviewing the order.

Trump’s voter order sparks constitutional concerns

The order has quickly raised red flags among voting law experts. They say it could violate the Constitution because it tries to take control of elections away from states. It’s also being seen as part of a series of moves by Trump to change how Americans vote, based on his claims of fraud.

Trump has continued to question the results of the 2020 election and the way state-run elections were handled. On Tuesday, March 31, he said he won “three times” and again pointed to voter fraud allegations that have been reviewed and dismissed by audits, investigations and courts.

The executive order also proposes changes to how ballots are handled. It calls for ballots to be sent in secure envelopes with unique barcodes so they can be tracked. The move was first reported by The Daily Caller. It also warns that states and local governments could lose federal funding if they do not follow these rules.

“The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible what’s going on,” Trump said while signing the order, repeating his claims about mail ballots. “I think this will help a lot with elections.”

Election officials raise concerns over Trump's new directive

Reaction came quickly after Trump signed the order. Election officials in Oregon and Arizona, where mail voting is widely used, said they are considering legal options. They argue the move could affect how states manage their own elections.

As per the Associated Press, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes noted that the state’s vote-by-mail system, created by Republicans, is now used by about 80% of voters. He said Arizona has its own processes to manage voter eligibility and raised concerns about relying on federal data.

“It is just wrongheaded for a president of the United States to pretend like he can pick his own voters,” Fontes told The AP. “That’s just not how America works.” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said the order was “laughably unconstitutional” and indicated the state does not plan to follow it. In Maine, more than a quarter of voters used mail ballots in the 2024 election.

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar said the changes could create challenges for local election officials and affect voters who rely on mail ballots. “It doesn’t benefit anybody in this country except himself,” Aguilar said.