Trump Signs Order To Create National Voter List And Limit Mail-In Ballots

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Social Security Administration, to compile state-by-state lists of verified eligible voters and to restrict mail-in voting.

The order directs the U.S. Postal Service to transmit ballots only to individuals on state-specific mail-in lists, requires secure barcoded ballot envelopes, and directs the Attorney General to withhold federal funds from noncompliant states.

State officials and voting-rights groups immediately vowed legal challenges, with Oregon and Arizona officials pledging to sue, California leaders promising to fight the order, and the NAACP saying the "order will not stand."

California officials noted that nearly 89% of votes were cast by mail in a 2025 special election—about 10.3 million of roughly 11.6 million votes—and a 2025 Brookings report estimated mail voting fraud at 0.000043%.

Legal experts and critics said the order raises constitutional questions about federal overreach into state-run elections and is likely to face immediate court challenges that could block enforcement.