‘Proof Of Citizenship’: Trump sets new rules for US polls
US President cites India example
Washington: US President Donald Trump signed an executive action on Tuesday to overhaul elections in the US. The new order requires people to show proof of their US citizenship to register to vote in Federal elections. It also demanded that all ballots be received by Election Day.
Trump referenced election fraud as he signed the order Tuesday, saying, “this will end it, hopefully.” He added that more election actions would be taken in coming weeks.
Trump has cited India and Brazil in his executive order to overhaul the American election system, saying the two countries are linking voter identification to a biometric database while the US relies on self-attestation for citizenship.
The executive order signed by Trump read, "…the United States has not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote."
The order says the US has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and calls on states to work with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. It threatens to pull federal funding from states where election officials don't comply.
Voting rights groups reportedly expressed concerns that the requirement could disenfranchise people. A 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups claimed that an estimated 9 percent of US citizens of voting age, or 21.3 million people, do not have proof of citizenship readily available.
There are also concerns that married women who have changed their names will encounter trouble when trying to register because their birth certificates list their maiden names.
Trump's order is likely to face legal challenges, given that the Constitution gives authority over elections to the states.
While Congress has the power to regulate voting — and has done so to pass such laws as the Voting Rights Act — the Constitution makes clear that states have primary authority to set the “times, places and manner” for elections.
