OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
2:20 PM – Wednesday, April 1, 2026
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order (EO) promising election integrity for federal elections as Congress continues to debate the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.
On Tuesday, through “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” the president ordered that the federal government is to enforce its existing laws by using “additional measures” to ensure that only American citizens may vote in American federal elections.
“The Federal Government has an unavoidable duty under Article II of the Constitution of the United States to enforce Federal law, which includes preventing violations of Federal criminal law and maintaining public confidence in election outcomes,” the order asserts. “To enhance election integrity via the United States Mail, additional measures are necessary.”
“Secure ballot envelope identifiers provide a reliable, auditable mechanism to enforce Federal law without unduly burdening or infringing on the rights of eligible voters,” it continued. “Unique ballot envelope identifiers, such as bar codes, enable confirmation that only citizens receive and cast ballots, reducing the risk of fraud and protecting the integrity of Federal elections.”
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is directed to initiate new rules within 60 days of the order’s signing, including the following directives for all outbound ballot mail envelopes:
- Each envelope is to be marked as “Official Election Mail” with “designated markings provided by USPS,” which may include a logo.
- Each envelope must bear a unique “Intelligent Mail barcode, or successor USPS technology, that facilitates tracking.”
- Each envelope must undergo a review by the USBS to ensure compliance with its own mailing standards.
The USPS will also work with its Inspector General and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate possible unlawful use of mail-in ballots.
It defines a person “eligible to vote in a federal election” as someone who is a citizen of the United States, 18-years-old by the date of the election, and otherwise qualified to vote under his or her state’s laws.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary is instructed in the EO to work with the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration (SSA) Director to compile a list of individuals confirmed to be eligible voters, pursuant to the order’s definition. This “State Citizenship List” is to be updated and sent out to State election officials 60 days before each regular federal election. The DHS secretary is also responsible for establishing the infrastructure necessary to maintain this list within 90 days.
“Voters deserve elections they can trust, and that confidence is being restored thanks to President Trump,” the White House stated in an additional facts sheet.
“We will secure our elections, and they will be secure once and for all,” Trump had said in his 2024 campaign. The White House praised the EO for following through on his promise.
“President Trump has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a straightforward, commonsense bill to ensure that only American citizens cast ballots,” the Trump administration added.
The bill passed in the House of Representatives in February. While the Senate has begun to debate the proposed legislation, Republicans are not generally confident they’ll be able to secure the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster.
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