Trump signs order directing creation of a national voter list, a move sure to face legal challenges

President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) 2026-03-31T21:48:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to create a nationwide list of verified eligible voters, a move that is sure to draw legal challenges as the president continues to demand further restrictions on voting ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

The order calls on the Department of Homeland Security, working in conjunction with the Social Security Administration, to make the list of eligible voters in each state, according to the White House.

It also seeks to bar the U.S.

Postal Service from sending absentee ballots to those not on each state’s approved list, although the president likely lacks the power to mandate what the Postal Service does.

Trump is also calling for ballots to have secure envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking, according to the executive order, which was first reported by the Daily Caller. “The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary.

It’s horrible what’s going on,” Trump said, repeating his false allegations about mail ballots as he signed the order. “I think this will help a lot with elections.” Tuesday’s order is expected to prompt legal challenges as he continues trying to interfere with state-run elections.

Trump’s first election executive order in March 2025 sought sweeping changes to how elections are run across the country, including adding a documentary proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form and requiring mailed ballots to be received at election offices by Election Day .

Much of it has been blocked through legal challenges brought by voting rights groups and Democratic state attorneys general who allege it’s an unconstitutional power grab that would disenfranchise large groups of voters.

He also said in a February interview with a conservative podcaster that he wants to “take over” elections from Democratic-run areas, citing fraud allegations that numerous audits , investigations and courts have debunked.

Tuesday’s voting order shows he hasn’t learned from his previous, blocked efforts to assert control over elections, said David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research. “The Constitution is very clear — the president has no power over elections in the states,” Becker sai

原文链接: AP News