The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for April 2, 2026
President Trump issued an executive order March 31st attempting to impose strict federal mail-in voting rules. The order ignores multiple recent court rulings making clear he does not have authority over election administration.
During the signing ceremony, Trump, who just voted by mail in a Florida special election, said QUOTE “The cheating in mail-in voting is legendary; it’s horrible what’s going on.”
There is NO evidence of widespread noncitizen or fraudulent voting anywhere in the U.S. But the order, entitled ‘Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections’, requires any voter using a mail-in ballot to first be verified using a federally-administered ‘state citizenship list’.
Read the March 31st, 2026 Executive Order
A majority of states refused to turn over the state voter data needed for such a list, and federal courts have upheld their Elections Clause arguments. The order also sets federal rules for ballot return envelopes, requiring unique identifiers –which states already include – and encumbers the U.S. Postal Service with verifying citizenship again before a ballot is returned.
In issuing permanent injunctions for last year’s executive order on elections, DC Circuit Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote, “The Constitution assigns no direct role to the President in either domain,” UNQUOTE. Perhaps the new order is actually intended for his allies in the U.S. Supreme Court.
We’ve linked to the order at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
The White House – ENSURING CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION AND INTEGRITY IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS
The White House – Summary
CNBC – VIDEO – President Trump signs executive order limiting mail-in voting — 3/31/2026
TIME – Trump’s Order Restricting Mail-In Voting Rebuked by States
PBS Newhour – Trump signs executive order to create national list of eligible voters
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – Can President Trump Mandate Voter ID for the Midterms? He May Try, But the U.S. Constitution Says He Doesn’t Have the Authority.
American Democracy Minute – Court Opinion Blocking More of Trump’s Executive Order on Elections Also Demands the Administration Follow Federal Citizen Data Privacy Statutes
Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters US, ACLU, National Vote at Home Institute
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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