Key takeaways from Trump's new executive order on voting rules:

• Voters must now provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register.
• Mail ballots will only be counted if received by Election Day.
• The order could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
• Legal challenges are anticipated from various advocacy groups.

In a significant move ahead of the 2026 elections, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” which imposes stringent new voting requirements across the United States. This order mandates that all prospective voters must now provide proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, in order to register for federal elections. It also stipulates that mail-in and absentee ballots can only be counted if they are received by Election Day, standardizing election protocols across states where regulations currently vary significantly. According to Al Jazeera, this is seen as an effort to address baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, a narrative Trump and many of his allies have pushed since the controversial 2020 election.

Federal oversight is also a core theme of the executive order, which requires states to submit their voter registration lists and maintenance records to the Department of Homeland Security and the recently established Department of Government Efficiency for review by federal officials. Critics are concerned that compliance with these new measures could lead to significant voter suppression, particularly affecting low-income and minority voters who may not possess the necessary identification. Commentators, including TRT Global, have suggested that up to 11% of eligible voters do not have government-issued ID, raising concerns about disenfranchisement.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) described Trump’s order as “not worth the paper it has been written on,” predicting swift legal challenges and long-term opposition. He argued that the order serves as a means of voter suppression and inherently threatens democratic participation. Jeffries noted, “Republicans have actually concluded that voter suppression is an electoral strategy,” as reported by The Hill.

Advocacy groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have also voiced strong opposition, asserting that Trump's order constitutes an overreach of presidential authority that disregards the fundamental rights of eligible voters. Sophia Lin Lakin, from the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, characterized the order as a direct threat to the electoral process, potentially impacting historically marginalized groups disproportionately. “We will do everything in our power to stop this unconstitutional attack on the right to vote," she stated. More details are available from Newsweek.

The potential ramifications of Trump's executive order are vast, with some experts predicting it could lead to a reshaping of the electoral landscape in the U.S., further setting the stage for contentious legal battles ahead. As the situation unfolds, it remains crucial for voters and advocacy groups to stay informed and mobilized against policies perceived to undermine electoral integrity and access.