The landscape of election integrity and voting legislation in the United States has undergone significant changes during the second presidency of Donald Trump starting in 2025. Marked by a highly contentious political environment, new federal executive orders and state laws have focused on tightening election security, regulating mail-in ballots, and enforcing voter identification and registration requirements.
Federal executive orders on election integrity
On March 25, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14248, “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” The order mandates sweeping reforms meant to prevent voter fraud and foreign interference. Key provisions require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections, impose deadlines for receipt of mail-in ballots by Election Day, and order recertification of voting systems to updated security and accessibility standards.
The Executive Order further directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish information-sharing agreements with state election officials aimed at identifying and prosecuting cases of suspected election fraud, including illegal voting by noncitizens. States refusing cooperation face prioritized federal enforcement actions and potential withholding of federal law enforcement grant funds.
State-level voting legislation
Alongside federal initiatives, numerous states have enacted new voting laws in 2025 targeting election security. Restrictive measures that have proliferated include stricter voter ID requirements, limitations on mail-in and early voting, reductions in ballot drop box availability, and extended purging of voter rolls for inactive voters. States such as Georgia, Texas, and Florida have been at the forefront of adopting these reforms, which proponents argue enhance the integrity of elections.
However, legislation expanding voting access, including automatic voter registration or extended early voting, has proven far less frequent, indicating a broader national trend toward restrictive voting policies.
Legal and constitutional challenges
The Trump administration’s election reforms have encountered immediate legal opposition. Critics contend that provisions requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration infringe upon states’ rights to regulate elections as guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Lawsuits filed by individual states, civil rights organizations, and advocacy groups challenge the constitutionality and legality of the executive order and state laws.
The core of these legal debates centers on the balance of power between federal and state governments in administering elections, the protection of universal suffrage rights, and safeguards against voter suppression. Judicial rulings continue to shape the implementation and future direction of election laws.
Political and social impacts
Election security laws and voting regulations enacted during Donald Trump’s second presidency have intensified political polarization in the United States. Supporters of these measures argue that they are essential to ensuring fair and secure elections, preventing fraud, and safeguarding the integrity of democratic processes. However, opponents overwhelmingly view these laws as mechanisms designed to suppress minority voter participation and restrict broader electoral access, exacerbating divisions in the political landscape.
The centerpiece of the administration’s electoral policy was the Executive Order 14248, signed on March 25, 2025, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” It required documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, shortened mail-in ballot acceptance deadlines, and ordered rigorous recertification of voting systems. The administration also directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to target and investigate alleged voter fraud and noncompliance by state election officials, with threats of withholding federal law enforcement funding from non-cooperating states.
These moves sparked widespread debate, as many civil rights organizations voiced concerns that such policies disproportionately impact communities of color, young voters, and disadvantaged populations. Critics argue that restricting mail-in voting, purging voter rolls, and imposing stringent voter ID requirements serve more to disenfranchise legitimate voters than to combat voter fraud which remains statistically negligible. Legal challenges to the executive order and state laws proliferated, citing constitutional grounds and asserting state primacy over election administration.
Enforcement and oversight mechanisms
The Executive Order 14248, signed by President Donald J. Trump on March 25, 2025, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” outlines comprehensive enforcement and oversight mechanisms focused on enhancing election cybersecurity and preventing interference, particularly from foreign actors. This order directs key federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), to collaborate closely with state election officials to secure the electoral process.
One of the central elements of the order is to strengthen federal-state cooperation. DHS and DOJ are tasked with establishing information-sharing agreements with state election authorities to identify potential election law violations effectively. States that refuse cooperation or fail to comply with these security measures risk facing prioritized federal enforcement actions, including the potential withholding of federal law enforcement grants and aid. This framework significantly increases federal oversight over state-run elections, a shift from the historically decentralized U.S. election administration.
The order also mandates audits of state voter registration systems to ensure compliance with the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is required to report and escalate any violations of federal election laws to the DOJ for enforcement action. Further, DHS and the EAC are charged with reviewing the security of electronic systems used in voter registration and election processes, emphasizing adherence to updated Voluntary Voting System Guidelines that require voter-verifiable paper ballots and prohibiting ballots that rely solely on barcodes or QR codes to record votes.
Balancing security and access
The debate over voting legislation and election security in the United States is marked by a critical and complex tension between ensuring the integrity of elections and preserving broad voter access. Experts, international observers, and election administrators emphasize that an effective electoral system must balance these imperatives thoughtfully to sustain democratic legitimacy.
The Trump administration’s 2025 Executive Order on “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” set out stringent reforms intending to reduce fraud and safeguard vote counting accuracy. These included documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, stricter deadlines for mail-in ballot receipt, and mandatory recertification of voting systems to meet the latest security and accessibility standards. Such measures address credible concerns about election interference and system vulnerabilities. However, critics argue that some restrictions may disproportionately burden historically marginalized groups’ access to voting, thereby undermining broader democratic participation.
Election security fundamentally involves protecting electoral infrastructure from hacking, misinformation, and foreign influence. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has pioneered efforts to protect election systems by coordinating with states and local jurisdictions, conducting vulnerability assessments, and combating disinformation campaigns. The Biden administration had expanded such efforts, which remain vital to maintaining public confidence in electoral outcomes.
The evolving landscape
The evolving landscape of election integrity and voting legislation in the U.S. during Trump’s second term marks a decisive and controversial phase in American democratic governance. Federal and state initiatives focused on strengthening election security are reshaping voter access and political dynamics, provoking significant legal and societal debate. How these policies unfold and are adjudicated will profoundly impact the trust and participation in upcoming elections, especially the pivotal 2026 midterms.