In a significant move to reform federal election policies, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating stricter proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) just got a new order to fill. This order directs them to enforce broader and stricter requirements, placing even more scrutiny on the voter registration process. That’s why this directive is notable for its strong warning. States that fail to have voters use the federal form for registration will forfeit their federal election funding.
The Role of the Election Assistance Commission in Enforcing New Requirements
The EAC, which is responsible for carrying out the provisions of this order, is comprised of two Democratic and two Republican appointees. The commission is now preparing to address this challenging political environment. This is how they’ll go about incorporating this new proof of citizenship requirement into the state’s voter registration process. Further, within the order is an intention to use federal funding as a club to enforce election policy changes at the federal level.
The Trump administration’s rollback has been widely condemned by voting rights advocates who contend the move will result in voter suppression and disenfranchisement. They express concern that the administration is making it more difficult for voters to challenge these changes at the ballot box.
“The aim here is voter suppression pure and simple,” said Richard Hasen, reflecting the concerns of many voting rights advocates.
DHS Collaboration with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency
In tandem with these changes, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been instructed to collaborate with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. They compare state voter rolls against U.S. citizenship databases to hunt down foreign nationals. We will be providing this list to state and local election officials. Civil rights advocates and critics have raised alarm that this move opens a dangerous door to misuse DHS immigration databases for surveillance. They contend that these expansive databases do not include adequate protections against wrongful or excessive vetting.
Even with these worries, the executive order has been embraced by conservative groups. Hans von Spakovsky of the rightwing Heritage Foundation defended the directive.
“President Trump is finally taking the action long needed to put the resources of federal agencies like the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to work helping states, instead of trying to hinder their efforts to reform our election process,” said Hans von Spakovsky.
The order boldly takes on mail ballots. Second, it punishes states that allow ballots to be counted if they arrive after Election Day, a practice now in effect in roughly two dozen states.
Supporters of the executive order celebrate the fact that it blatantly violates federal law by preventing eligible Americans from voting. In a sharp statement on Friday, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold expressed her opposition.
“Trump’s executive order is unlawful. It would prevent eligible Americans from exercising their sacred right to vote,” said Griswold.
The directive’s possible effects have opened up a contentious firestorm. Proponents are driving towards more stringent election security, and opponents have sounded the alarm over potential voter suppression. The EAC is currently working on how to incorporate these new requirements. In the meantime, the order has faced controversy to fuel the fire further in the ongoing discussion about election reform.
What The Author Thinks
The executive order issued by President Trump introduces a significant shift in federal election policies, but the balance between tightening security and ensuring voter access remains crucial. While the need for secure and accurate voter rolls is undeniable, the potential for voter suppression, particularly among minority and vulnerable populations, cannot be ignored. Comprehensive safeguards are needed to ensure that the measures introduced do not unfairly restrict the right to vote.
Featured image credit: PBS
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