US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday restricting mail-in ballots to voters on state-approved lists. The federal government must create a list of eligible citizens. Democrats criticize the move as potentially unconstitutional.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday outlining election reforms. The Department of Homeland Security, working with the Social Security Administration, must compile a list of all eligible US citizens in each state. The US Postal Service is barred from sending mail-in ballots to anyone not on a state-approved list.
During the signing, Trump stated: “Mail-in ballot fraud is legendary. It’s terrible what’s happening.” The president has long claimed without evidence that his 2020 loss resulted from massive election fraud. The order comes after a related bill stalled in the Senate and aims for stricter rules ahead of November’s congressional elections, where Republicans hold slim majorities.
Democrats in several states warned that the decree could allow the US Post to arbitrarily remove voters from lists. Election law experts deem the order unconstitutional, arguing it usurps states’ authority over elections.
