On Wednesday (IST), US President Donald Trump signed a new executive order to change the country's election rules. The order introduces stricter regulations, such as requiring people to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote and making sure all ballots are received by election day.

Trump's order argues that the US has failed to establish "basic and necessary election protections." It also urged governments to collaborate with the agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. Furthermore, it threatens to decrease federal assistance for states that do not comply. Trump mentioned examples from India, Brazil, Denmark and Sweden. He praised India and Brazil's efforts, saying they are "tying voter identification to a biometric database, while the US relies largely on self-attestation for citizenship." According to a report by the Associated Press, this new order may face challenges because states have the power to set their own election rules.

However, the decision aligns with Trump's past criticisms of the election process. He has often claimed that elections are rigged, even before the results are announced. Since losing to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, Trump has questioned certain voting methods, especially mail-in voting. He claims it is not secure and can lead to fraud. However, he has not provided any evidence to support this claim. Given its widespread support among voters, especially Republicans, Trump has retracted his earlier position and stated that, although fraud does occur, "it is rare, limited in scope, and gets prosecuted." The president's order requiring proof of citizenship for voting shows that he is not waiting for congressional Republicans to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has the same goal. Republicans support this measure, saying it is needed to restore public trust in U.S. elections.

Voting rights groups are worried that requiring proof of citizenship could prevent some people from voting. A 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice and other organisations found that about 9% of U.S. citizens of voting age—around 21.3 million people—don’t have easy access to documents proving their citizenship. Married women who have changed their names may face difficulties during registration because their birth certificate still has their maiden name. The executive order might face legal challenges because states have the power to oversee elections. While the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to set some voting rules, states are responsible for deciding when, where, and how elections take place.