By the authority granted to me as President under the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby issue the following order:
Section 1. Objective and Policy. Despite having established a framework for self-governance, the United States currently falls short in implementing essential election safeguards characteristic of both developed and developing countries. For instance, nations such as India and Brazil link voter identification to biometric databases, whereas the U.S. primarily depends on self-attestation for citizenship verification. In terms of vote counting, Germany and Canada mandate the use of paper ballots, tallied publicly by local officials, significantly diminishing disputes compared to the varied voting methods in the U.S., which can result in basic chain-of-custody concerns. Moreover, while countries like Denmark and Sweden sensibly restrict mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and do not accept late ballots regardless of postmark dates, American elections increasingly feature widespread mail-in voting, with many officials accepting ballots lacking postmarks or those delivered well past Election Day.
Free, fair, and transparent elections, free from fraud, errors, or doubt, are central to sustaining our constitutional Republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes counted accurately, without unlawful dilution, is crucial for identifying the legitimate winner of an election.
According to the Constitution, state governments must secure American elections in accordance with federal statutes designed to protect voters’ rights and mitigate risks from illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other malpractices. Yet, the United States has not sufficiently enforced federal election mandates, which, for instance, ban states from counting ballots received post-Election Day or from allowing non-citizens to register to vote.
Federal legislation establishes a consistent Election Day across the nation for federal elections (2 U.S.C. 7 and 3 U.S.C. 1). It is the policy of my Administration to uphold these laws and ensure that all votes are cast and received by the legally specified election date. As recently affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Republican National Committee v. Wetzel (2024), these laws establish “the day by which ballots must be both cast by voters and received by state officials.” Nevertheless, numerous states are not in compliance, counting ballots that arrive after Election Day, akin to allowing individuals who appear three days late—potentially after a victor has been announced—to vote in person at a former polling place, which is utterly nonsensical.
A number of federal laws, including 18 U.S.C. 1015 and 611, prohibit foreign nationals from registering or voting in federal elections. Yet, states often do not adequately verify voters’ citizenship, and in recent years, the Department of Justice has failed to allocate sufficient resources for enforcing these regulations. Alarmingly, the previous administration actively obstructed states from purging alien registrations from their voter rolls.
Furthermore, federal laws like the National Voter Registration Act (Public Law 103-31) and the Help America Vote Act (Public Law 107-252) compel states to maintain accurate and updated statewide lists of all legally registered voters. The Department of Homeland Security is obligated to share database information with states upon request to help fulfill this requirement (see 8 U.S.C. 1373(c)). Accurate voter registration lists are fundamental in safeguarding votes from being invalidated or diluted by fraudulent submissions.
Federal law, particularly 52 U.S.C. 30121, forbids foreign nationals from participating in federal, state, or local elections by making contributions or expenditures. However, foreign entities and non-governmental organizations have exploited loopholes in the law’s interpretation, spending millions through conduit contributions and ballot initiative-related expenses. Such foreign interference undermines the electoral process and the American citizens’ prerogative to govern their Republic.
Ultimately, elections must be conducted with integrity and deserving of public confidence. This necessitates voting methods that generate a voter-verifiable paper record, enabling voters to efficiently confirm their choices while safeguarding against fraud or error. Hence, election integrity standards must be adjusted accordingly.
My Administration is committed to enforcing federal laws and preserving the integrity of our electoral process.
Sec 2. Upholding the Citizenship Mandate for Federal Elections. In order to enforce the federal prohibition against foreign nationals voting in federal elections:
(a)(i) Within 30 days from the date of this order, the Election Assistance Commission shall take necessary steps to require, in its national mail voter registration form issued under 52 U.S.C. 20508:
(A) documentary evidence of United States citizenship, in alignment with 52 U.S.C. 20508(b)(3); and
(B) a state or local official shall annotate on the form the type of document that the applicant presented as proof of United States citizenship, including the document’s issuance and expiration dates (if applicable), the issuing office, and any unique identification number tied to the document, as stipulated by the criteria in 52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(5)(A), ensuring necessary measures for information security.
(ii) For the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, “documentary proof of United States citizenship” shall encompass a copy of:
(A) a United States passport;
(B) an identification document adhering to the REAL ID Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-13, Div. B) indicating the applicant’s citizenship;
(C) a valid military identification card indicating the applicant’s citizenship; or
(D) a valid government-issued photo identification, whether federal or state, that confirms the applicant is a U.S. citizen or is otherwise supplemented by proof of U.S. citizenship.
(b) To identify voters who do not meet qualifications registered within the states:
(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in accordance with applicable law, guarantee that state and local officials have, without any fee requirement, access to valid systems for verifying the citizenship or immigration status of individuals who are registering or are already registered to vote;
(ii) the Secretary of State shall undertake all legal and suitable measures to provide state and local election officials with data from relevant databases for verifying the citizenship of individuals who are either registering or already registered to vote; and
(iii) the Department of Homeland Security, alongside the DOGE Administrator, shall examine each state’s public voter registration list and relevant records concerning voter list maintenance activities as required by 52 U.S.C. 20507, together with federal immigration databases and relevant state records, including through subpoena when necessary and legally permitted, to ensure compliance with federal standards.
(c) Within 90 days from the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, consistent with applicable law, relay complete information to the Attorney General regarding all foreign nationals who have reported on any immigration form their registration or voting in a federal, state, or local election, and shall likewise take all appropriate actions to communicate such information to pertinent state or local election officials.
(d) The head of each federal voter registration executive department or agency (agency) under the National Voter Registration Act, 52 U.S.C. 20506(a), shall assess citizenship before providing a federal voter registration form to individuals enrolled in public assistance programs.
(e) The Attorney General shall prioritize the enforcement of 18 U.S.C. 611 and 1015(f) and similar laws that prevent non-citizens from registering to vote or from participating in elections, utilizing:
(i) databases or information maintained by the Department of Homeland Security;
(ii) records of state-issued identification and driver license databases; and
(iii) similar records regarding citizenship.
(f) The Attorney General shall, in accordance with applicable laws, collaborate with state attorneys general to assist in state-level reviews and prosecutions of aliens who are unlawfully registered to vote or who have cast votes.
Sec. 3. Offering Additional Assistance to States for Eligibility Verification. To aid states in ascertaining the eligibility of individuals wishing to register and vote:
(a) The Commissioner of Social Security shall undertake all necessary actions to make available the Social Security Number Verification Service, the Death Master File, and any relevant federal databases to all state and local election officials involved in verifying potential voters’ eligibility. In doing so, the Commissioner shall ensure conformity with the applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations.
(b) The Attorney General shall ensure adherence to the requirements specified in 52 U.S.C. 20507(g).
(c) The Attorney General shall implement appropriate actions against states that fail to observe the list maintenance mandates of the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act, as set out in 52 U.S.C. 20507 and 52 U.S.C. 21083.
(d) The Secretary of Defense shall revise the Federal Post Card Application under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. 20301, to necessitate:
(i) documentary evidence of United States citizenship, as defined in section 2(a)(ii) of this order; and
(ii) proof of eligibility to vote in elections in the state where the voter seeks to cast their ballot.
Sec. 4. Enhancing the Election Assistance Commission.
(a) The Election Assistance Commission shall, under 52 U.S.C. 21003(b)(3) and 21142(c) and in compliance with applicable laws, take appropriate measures to end federal funding to states that fail to meet the federal laws outlined in 52 U.S.C. 21145, including the stipulation in 52 U.S.C. 20505(a)(1) that states must accept and utilize the national mail voter registration form issued under 52 U.S.C. 20508(a)(1), including any requirements for documentary proof of United States citizenship established as per section 2(a)(ii) of this order.
(b)(i) The Election Assistance Commission shall initiate appropriate actions to revise the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 and provide additional guidance establishing standards for voting systems to ensure electoral integrity. The updated guidelines and accompanying guidance shall stipulate that voting systems should not count ballots in which votes are embedded within barcodes or QR codes, except where necessary to accommodate individuals with disabilities, and should provide a verifiable paper record for voters to counter fraud or errors.
(ii) Within 180 days of this order, the Election Assistance Commission shall conduct a review and, if warranted, re-certify voting systems in accordance with the new standards set out in subsection (b)(i), and revoke previous certifications based on outdated standards.
(c) Following an audit of the Help America Vote Act fund expenditures carried out under 52 U.S.C. 21142, the Election Assistance Commission shall report any discrepancies or concerns regarding a state’s certifications of compliance with federal law to the Department of Justice for suitable enforcement actions.
(d) The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in line with applicable law, shall prioritize funding considerations for state or local election offices or administrators through the Homeland Security Grant Programs (6 U.S.C. 603 et seq.) based on compliance with the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 developed by the Election Assistance Commission and the completion of testing via the Voting System Test Labs accreditation process.
Sec. 5. Prosecuting Election Offenses. To protect the voting rights of American citizens and their entitlement to fair and honest elections:
(a) The Attorney General shall make all necessary efforts to establish information-sharing agreements, to the extent feasible, with the chief state election official or a multi-member agency from each state. The objective of these agreements will be to provide the Department of Justice with detailed data on all suspected breaches of state and federal election laws identified by state officials. This may involve information on individuals who:
(i) registered or voted while ineligible or registered multiple times;
(ii) committed electoral fraud;
(iii) provided false information on voter registration or other electoral documents;
(iv) intimidated or threatened voters or election officials; or
(v) otherwise engaged in illegal activities to disrupt the electoral process.
(b) If any states are resistant to entering into such an information-sharing agreement or refuse to cooperate in the investigations and prosecutions of election-related offenses, the Attorney General shall:
(i) prioritize the enforcement of federal election integrity laws in those states to ensure electoral integrity, given the state’s clear refusal to engage in an information-sharing agreement or to cooperate in investigations and prosecutions; and
(ii) review the possibility of withholding grants and other funding distributed by the Department to state and local governments, in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Attorney General shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the Department of Justice’s litigation strategies align with the intent and policy of this order.
Sec. 6. Enhancing Voting Systems Security. In order to bolster the security of all voting equipment and systems used for casting ballots, counting votes, and reporting results:
(a) The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall undertake all necessary actions, within the confines of 42 U.S.C. 5195c and relevant laws, as long as the Department of Homeland Security maintains the designation of election infrastructure as critical infrastructure, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e), to exclude all non-citizens from participating in the administration of any federal elections, which includes access to election equipment, ballots, or other pertinent materials involved in conducting any federal election.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in coordination with the Election Assistance Commission and to the extent feasible, evaluate and report on the security of all electronic systems utilized in the voter registration and voting processes. The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting as the head of the designated Sector Risk Management Agency per 6 U.S.C. 652a, along with the Election Assistance Commission, shall assess the security of all such systems insofar as they are connected to, or integrated with, the Internet, and report on the potential risks posed by malicious software and unauthorized intrusions into these systems.
Sec. 7. Adhering to Federal Law Regarding the National Election Day. To guarantee compliance with federal laws that designate the uniform day for appointing presidential electors and electing members of Congress:
(a) The Attorney General shall take all necessary steps to enforce 2 U.S.C. 7 and 3 U.S.C. 1 against states that breach these regulations by including absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day in the final vote tally for appointing presidential electors and for electing members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
(b) In accordance with 52 U.S.C. 21001(b) and other relevant laws, the Election Assistance Commission shall condition any available funding to a state based on that state’s compliance with the requirement in 52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(6) obligating each state to adopt uniform and non-discriminatory standards defining what constitutes a vote and what will be counted as a vote, ensuring that, as specified in 2 U.S.C. 7 and 3 U.S.C. 1, there exists a uniform and non-discriminatory ballot receipt deadline of Election Day for all voting methods, excluding ballots cast in compliance with 52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq., after which no additional votes may be taken.
Sec. 8. Preventing Foreign Interference and Misuse of Federal Funds. The Attorney General, in collaboration with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall emphasize the enforcement of 52 U.S.C. 30121 and other relevant laws to deter foreign nationals from contributing or donating in American elections. Additionally, the Attorney General shall prioritize the enforcement of 31 U.S.C. 1352, which bars lobbying by organizations or entities that have received federal funds.
Sec. 9. Federal Measures Concerning Executive Order 14019. All agency heads, along with the Election Assistance Commission, shall halt any agency activities executing Executive Order 14019 from March 7, 2021 (Promoting Access to Voting), which has been revoked by Executive Order 14148 on January 20, 2025 (Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions), and within 90 days of this order, shall report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, on compliance with this order.
Sec. 10. Severability. Should any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any agency, person, or circumstance be deemed invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other agencies, persons, or situations shall remain unaffected.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) No aspect of this order shall be interpreted to impair or otherwise impact:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or its head; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget concerning budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented in line with applicable law and subjected to available appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, nor does it create any substantive or procedural right, benefit, or enforceable claim at law or equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other individual.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 25, 2025.
