Official Statement: Trump Signs an Executive Order Restricting Voter Access Ahead of 2026 Midterms

March 31, 2026

In response to Donald Trump signing a new executive order aimed at reshaping federal elections, including requiring citizenship verification systems and increasing federal oversight of voter eligibility, Equal Ground Executive Director, Genesis Robinson strongly opposes this latest attempt to interfere with access to the ballot. The order directs federal agencies to compile lists of verified U.S. citizens and implement new controls over mail voting, raising serious concerns about voter suppression and federal overreach.

“At a time when our democracy demands stability, trust, and participation, we are once again being forced to respond to efforts that seek to do the opposite. The latest executive order by Donald Trump is not happening in a vacuum. It comes after years of false claims about voter fraud, repeated attacks on vote-by-mail, and ongoing attempts to make it harder for people, particularly Black voters and other marginalized communities to participate in our democracy. It follows a pattern of behavior that has consistently put political power ahead of the will of the people.

We are seeing this same playbook unfold in state legislatures across the country, including here in Florida, where lawmakers continue to advance restrictive voter suppression measures like HB 991, designed to create new barriers and limit who can participate in our elections.

The fixation by some politicians on undermining our elections is telling, but not surprising, especially from someone like Donald Trump, who lost credibility on democracy long ago when he incited an insurrection in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election.

This executive order is not about protecting elections, it is about controlling them. It is about deciding who gets to vote, how they vote, and ultimately, whose voices count. When a leader tries to shape the electorate instead of earning the support of the people, that is not democracy,, that is a dangerous abuse of power.

This is exactly the kind of overreach that led millions of Americans to take to the streets and say “no kings”, because America is a democracy, not a dictatorship.”

This executive order makes major proposed changes to how federal elections are run, with a focus on tightening rules around voting and election security.

The Big Changes

• Proof of citizenship required to register to vote: Voters would need official documents (like a passport or birth certificate) to register for federal elections. 

  
  

• Stricter rules for mail-in ballots: States would be pushed to only count ballots received by Election Day, not those arriving afterward. 

  
  

• Federal involvement in voter verification: Federal agencies (like Social Security, DHS, State Department) would share data with states to verify citizenship and eligibility. 

  
  

• New requirements for voting systems: Voting machines would need to be recertified under updated federal security standards. 

  
  

• Crackdown on foreign interference: Expands efforts to prevent non-citizens or foreign actors from influencing elections. 

  
  

• Pressure on states to comply: The federal government could withhold funding from states that don’t follow these new rules. 

Why This Matters

• Supporters say it’s about preventing fraud and strengthening election security.

• Critics say it could:

  • Make it harder for eligible voters to register and vote

  • Shift power from states to the federal government

  • Face legal challenges over whether a president can make these changes alone 

Bottom Line for the Community

This order is about changing who can register, how votes are counted, and who controls election rules.

Implementation Means:

• Add new barriers to voting for some communities

• Change mail voting timelines

• Increase federal oversight of elections traditionally run by states

Executive Order can be found here