US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 25 to “preserve and protect the integrity of American elections”. The order mandates that voters should provide proof of citizenship when registering for federal elections and requires all ballots to be received by Election Day.
Trump criticised the current US electoral system, comparing it to India’s, and argued that America has failed to implement “basic and necessary election protections”.
“Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing. India and Brazil, for example, are tying voter identification to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship,” the executive order read.
It added, “Germany and Canada require paper ballots when tabulating votes, while the United States has a patchwork of methods that often lack basic chain-of-custody protection.”
The order also referenced Denmark and Sweden, contrasting their voting systems with that of the US. It noted that both countries restrict mail-in voting to individuals unable to vote in person and do not count ballots that arrive late, regardless of the postmark date. In contrast, US elections rely heavily on mass mail-in voting, with many officials accepting ballots without postmarks or even those received well after Election Day.
He also directed federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election-related crimes. The order also threatens to cut federal funding to states that fail to comply with its directives.
“Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election,” it further read.
Trump has long alleged that US elections are vulnerable to fraud, frequently making such claims even before results are announced. Since losing the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden, President Trump has repeatedly pushed for changes to voting processes despite no evidence of widespread fraud.