On March 31, 2026, Donald Trump issued an executive order entitled "ENSURING CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION AND INTEGRITY IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS".

Here's a summarized list of the order:

• A "State Citizenship List" (derived from federal citizenship and naturalization records, SSA records, SAVE data, and other relevant federal databases) will be sent to each U.S. State at least 60 days prior to any federal election.
• Procedures will be established (by DHS) "to allow individuals to access their individual ["State Citizenship List"] records as well as to update or correct them in advance of elections," and "to enable States to routinely supplement and provide suggested modifications or amendments to the State Citizenship List transmitted thereto."
• The Attorney General will "prioritize" investigations and prosecutions of:
  • "State and local officials or any others involved in the administration of Federal elections who issue Federal ballots to individuals not eligible to vote in a Federal election."
  • "public or private entities engaged in, or aiding and abetting, the printing, production, shipment, or distribution of ballots to individuals who are not eligible to vote in a Federal election."
• The USPS Postmaster General will create a proposed rule that provides for the following:
  • Outbound ballot mail must a) be mailed in an envelope that has the marking "Official Election Mail," b) have Intelligent Mail barcodes, c) be enclosed in an envelope, the design of which has been reviewed by the USPS.
  • At least 90 days before a federal election, a State "may" choose to notify the USPS if it intends to allow for mail-in or absentee ballots to be transmitted by the USPS. A notifying State "should" indicate whether it intends to submit to the USPS, at least 60 days before an election, a list of voters eligible to vote in that election.
  • "USPS shall not transmit mail-in or absentee ballots from any individual unless those individuals have been enrolled on a State-specific list."
  • "USPS shall provide each State with a list of individuals (Mail-In and Absentee Participation List) who are enrolled with the USPS"
  • Procedures enabling each State to "supplement and provide suggested modifications or amendments to the State's Mail-In and Absentee Participation List"
• Any final rule must issued no later than 120 days from the date of this order.
• The Attorney General will enforce compliance and provide guidance to election officials.
• Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security will establish the infrastructure necessary to compile, maintain, and transmit the "State Citizenship List."
• The Attorney General, heads of executive departments, and head of agencies "with relevant authority" will "take all lawful steps to deter and address noncompliance with Federal law, including withholding Federal funds from noncompliant States and localities where such withholding is authorized by law."

On May 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols ruled against a lawsuit brought by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the NAACP, and the League of United Latin American Citizens which challenged Trump's executive order.

Judge Nichols, a Trump appointee, ruled that because the USPS has not yet acted to implement the executive order, the plaintiffs can't show that they have been harmed (lack of standing). Judge Nichols also ruled not to block the part of the executive order that requires the U.S. Homeland Security Department (DHS) to create a "State Citizenship List" for each state, saying it wasn't yet clear that DHS would implement the executive order in a way that violated federal law.

Judge Nichols also said, "The Court recognizes that the Postal Service may ultimately issue a final rule that directly affects Plaintiffs or their members, or that the Government may develop State Citizenship Lists that omit specific individuals due to particularized flaws. Plaintiffs may, of course, renew their motions if and when those future actions occur."

Read Judge Nichols' official ruling here.

On May 29, 2026, the USPS published its 20-page proposed rule in the Federal Register.

Read the proposed rule here.

The proposed rule requires that for federal elections, states must send the federal government a list of all registered voters to which they are sending mail-in and absentee ballots, and it appears to give USPS the power to block delivery of ballots to people that are not on the list. The rule also allows USPS to refuse delivery of ballots that do not meet new federal standards. Judge Nichols ruled against the lawsuit brought by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the NAACP, and the League of United Latin American Citizens because the Trump administration has yet to implement the plans set forth in Trump's executive order and the USPS proposed rule.

An article on the Votebeat website entitled "USPS proposal to carry out Trump's executive order could create new barriers to mail voting" has additional information.

Jul 2, 2026 Update:

Court blocks USPS from implementing Trump's anti-mail voting order
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/court-blocks-usps-from-implementing-trumps-anti-mail-voting-order

Postal Service's proposed restrictions on mail-in voting blocked
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5951135-judge-halts-usps-mailin-ballot/

Jun 28, 2026 Update:

Postmaster general's remarks on mail ballots stoke fears among voting rights advocates
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5943390-usps-mail-ballots-trump-order-voter-data/

Jun 25, 2026 Update:

District Court Judge Indira Talwani affirmed that states have authority over their election processes and said current efforts to remove citizens from voter rolls are unconstitutional.

Talwani disagreed with the Trump administration's effort to dismiss the case (alleging that the lawsuit was filed prematurely, citing no present harm) saying:

Nearly half of Plaintiff States have already purchased mail ballot envelopes for the 2026 federal election cycle that will not be in compliance with the requirements the EO has directed USPS to adopt by rulemaking. For example, Massachusetts has already spent approximately $3 million on its mail ballot envelopes, and both Maine and Rhode Island have already spent over $50,000 on ballot envelopes and return envelopes that lack Intelligent Mail barcodes.

Jun 24, 2026 Update:

Postmaster general confirms plan to hold back mail ballots in states that won't share voter data
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5939636-trump-postal-service-voter-data/

Federal judge limits challenges to Trump mail-in voting order
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5931005-trump-mail-in-ballot-challenges-limit/

Jun 1, 2026 Update:

The Elias Law Group filed an appeal to Judge Nichols' May 28, 2026 ruling.

Note that on April 1, 2026, the Elias Law Group filed the original complaint pertaining to Judge Nichols' May 28, 2026 ruling. Here's the rationale behind the lawsuit, taken directly from an article on the Democracy Docket website (bold added for emphasis):

Background

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, other Democratic organizations, and Senate and House Democratic leaders, filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging President Donald Trump's executive order attacking access to mail-in voting. Plaintiffs assert that in response to Congress' failure to pass the SAVE Act, Trump signed the unlawful order to "impose radical changes" to dramatically restrict Americans' ability to vote by mail. The order directs agencies "to amass a national citizenship registry," created in violation of federal privacy laws.

Plaintiffs emphasize that the U.S. Constitution squarely places election authority "in the hands of the Legislature rather than the Executive," and that Congress has repeatedly sanctioned states to allow voting by mail. The lawsuit argues the president's order exceeds the scope of his authority, and violates constitutional separation of powers, the First and Fifth amendments, the Voting Rights Act, the U.S. Postal Service's statutory authority, and the Administrative Procedures Act. Plaintiffs seek to block the executive order.

Why It Matters

This is Trump's second election-related executive order attempting to take control of federal elections and disenfranchise voters. Courts have consistently ruled that only Congress and the states – not the president – have authority over elections. Despite this, Trump has expressed repeated opposition to mail-in voting, saying at the order signing, "Cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It's horrible. Democrats want to use it for cheating." These actions, the lawsuit alleges, represent "the President's unlawful attempts to upturn the electoral playing field in his own favor and against his political rivals."

Source:

(April 1, 2026). "Trump Mail-In Voting Executive Order Challenge (DSCC)". Democracy Docket. Retrieved 2026-06-07.

Commentary:

It's a well known fact that legitimate cases of U.S. election fraud of any kind are extremely rare.

Trump's executive order and the USPS proposed rule are masquerading as an attempt to fix a problem that for all practical purposes doesn't exist.

Trump's order and the USPS proposed rule might in fact be unconstitutional, in violation of Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution which states:

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 clearly states that only Congress, not the president, and not other government entities has the authority to implement a plan like Trump and the USPS are proposing.

In any event, implementation of the Trump/USPS plan is ill-advised so far into an election year.

It's common knowledge that more Democrats than Republicans tend to vote by mail. This is just another attempt by the Trump administration to throw a "monkey wrench" into how elections are conducted, hoping that the confusion and chaos will result in large numbers of mail-in ballots being thrown out.

This is also another chapter in the ongoing, pathetic, Trump/MAGA saga of election denial, and Trump's ongoing attempt to rewrite history.