WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will soon sign an executive order limiting the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines across the United States, a move he says is aimed at protecting election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The announcement marks another chapter in Trump’s controversial approach to voting reform since returning to the White House earlier this year. Speaking at a press conference, Trump argued that paper-based voting was more reliable and cost-effective than relying on electronic systems.
“We’re going to bring elections back to the people, not the machines,” Trump told reporters. “Mail-in ballots and these machines are disasters waiting to happen. Everyone knows it.”
Order Details Remain Unclear
The White House has not yet released the full text of the executive order, but aides said it will significantly reduce states’ reliance on mail-in voting, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and phase out certain types of voting machines.
Critics argue the move could disenfranchise millions of voters who rely on absentee ballots, including military personnel and Americans with disabilities. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, more than 65 million Americans voted by mail in 2020, a record fueled by the pandemic but still a significant portion of overall turnout.
Pushback from Election Officials
State election officials and nonpartisan watchdog groups immediately criticized Trump’s proposal. The National Association of Secretaries of State, which oversees elections in many states, said it had not been consulted about the order.
“This is another attempt by the federal government to overreach into state-run elections,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat. “It will create confusion, unnecessary costs, and could suppress voter turnout.”
Legal experts note that Trump’s order could face constitutional challenges. The U.S. Constitution grants states the power to determine election procedures, subject to oversight by Congress—not the president.
Context: Trump’s Broader Election Agenda
The move follows Trump’s controversial deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and federal control of the city’s police force. Trump has also repeatedly referenced the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision allowing cities to criminalize homelessness, framing his broader agenda as a crackdown on “lawlessness.”
His continued focus on election security appears aimed at energizing his political base ahead of the midterms, while Democrats and civil rights groups have vowed to fight the order in court.
What’s Next
Trump is expected to sign the executive order later this week. Whether it survives legal challenges or widespread state resistance remains uncertain.
“This is about trust in our democracy,” Trump said. “If we don’t have fair elections, we don’t have a country.”