Presidential DocumentExecutive Order 142482025-05523
Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 28, 2025
Signed
March 25, 2025
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 14005-14010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05523]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 59 / Friday, March 28, 2025 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 14005]]
Executive Order 14248 of March 25, 2025
Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of
American Elections
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. 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. In tabulating votes, Germany and Canada
require use of paper ballots, counted in public by
local officials, which substantially reduces the number
of disputes as compared to the American patchwork of
voting methods that can lead to basic chain-of-custody
problems. Further, while countries like Denmark and
Sweden sensibly limit mail-in voting to those unable to
vote in person and do not count late-arriving votes
regardless of the date of postmark, many American
elections now feature mass voting by mail, with many
officials accepting ballots without postmarks or those
received well after Election Day.
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.
Under the Constitution, State governments must
safeguard American elections in compliance with Federal
laws that protect Americans' voting rights and guard
against dilution by illegal voting, discrimination,
fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error. Yet
the United States has not adequately enforced Federal
election requirements that, for example, prohibit
States from counting ballots received after Election
Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.
Federal law establishes a uniform Election Day across
the Nation for Federal elections, 2 U.S.C. 7 and 3
U.S.C. 1. It is the policy of my Administration to
enforce those statutes and require that votes be cast
and received by the election date established in law.
As the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth
Circuit recently held in Republican National Committee
v. Wetzel (2024), those statutes set ``the day by which
ballots must be both cast by voters and received by
state officials.'' Yet numerous States fail to comply
with those laws by counting ballots received after
Election Day. This is like allowing persons who arrive
3 days after Election Day, perhaps after a winner has
been declared, to vote in person at a former voting
precinct, which would be absurd. Several Federal laws,
including 18 U.S.C. 1015 and 611, prohibit foreign
nationals from registering to vote or voting in Federal
elections. Yet States fail adequately to vet voters'
citizenship, and, in recent years, the Department of
Justice has failed to prioritize and devote sufficient
resources for enforcement of these provisions. Even
worse, the prior administration actively prevented
States from removing aliens from their voter lists.
Additionally, Federal laws, such as the National Voter
Registration Act (Pub. L. 103-31) and the Help America
Vote Act (Pub. L. 107-252), require States to maintain
an accurate and current Statewide list of every legally
registered voter in the State. And the Department of
Homeland Security is required to share database
information with States upon request so they
[[Page 14006]]
can fulfill this duty. See 8 U.S.C. 1373(c).
Maintaining accurate voter registration lists is a
fundamental requirement in protecting voters from
having their ballots voided or diluted by fraudulent
votes.
Federal law, 52 U.S.C. 30121, prohibits foreign
nationals from participating in Federal, State, or
local elections by making any contributions or
expenditures. But foreign nationals and non-
governmental organizations have taken advantage of
loopholes in the law's interpretation, spending
millions of dollars through conduit contributions and
ballot-initiative-related expenditures. This type of
foreign interference in our election process undermines
the franchise and the right of American citizens to
govern their Republic.
Above all, elections must be honest and worthy of the
public trust. That requires voting methods that produce
a voter-verifiable paper record allowing voters to
efficiently check their votes to protect against fraud
or mistake. Election-integrity standards must be
modified accordingly.
It is the policy of my Administration to enforce
Federal law and to protect the integrity of our
election process.
Sec. 2. Enforcing the Citizenship Requirement for
Federal Elections. To enforce the Federal prohibition
on foreign nationals voting in Federal elections:
(a)(i) Within 30 days of the date of this order,
the Election Assistance Commission shall take
appropriate action to require, in its national mail
voter registration form issued under 52 U.S.C. 20508:
(A) documentary proof of United States citizenship, consistent with 52
U.S.C. 20508(b)(3); and
(B) a State or local official to record on the form the type of document
that the applicant presented as documentary proof of United States
citizenship, including the date of the document's issuance, the date of the
document's expiration (if any), the office that issued the document, and
any unique identification number associated with the document as required
by the criteria in 52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(5)(A), while taking appropriate
measures to ensure information security.
(ii) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, ``documentary proof of
United States citizenship'' shall include a copy of:
(A) a United States passport;
(B) an identification document compliant with the requirements of the
REAL ID Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-13, Div. B) that indicates the applicant
is a citizen of the United States;
(C) an official military identification card that indicates the applicant
is a citizen of the United States; or
(D) a valid Federal or State government-issued photo identification if
such identification indicates that the applicant is a United States citizen
or if such identification is otherwise accompanied by proof of United
States citizenship.
(b) To identify unqualified voters registered in
the States:
(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, consistent with applicable
law, ensure that State and local officials have, without the requirement of
the payment of a fee, access to appropriate systems for verifying the
citizenship or immigration status of individuals registering to vote or who
are already registered;
(ii) the Secretary of State shall take all lawful and appropriate action to
make available information from relevant databases to State and local
election officials engaged in verifying the citizenship of individuals
registering to vote or who are already registered; and
(iii) the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the DOGE
Administrator, shall review each State's publicly available voter
registration list and available records concerning voter list maintenance
activities as
[[Page 14007]]
required by 52 U.S.C. 20507, alongside Federal immigration databases and
State records requested, including through subpoena where necessary and
authorized by law, for consistency with Federal requirements.
(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall, consistent with
applicable law, provide to the Attorney General
complete information on all foreign nationals who have
indicated on any immigration form that they have
registered or voted in a Federal, State, or local
election, and shall also take all appropriate action to
submit to relevant State or local election officials
such information.
(d) The head of each Federal voter registration
executive department or agency (agency) under the
National Voter Registration Act, 52 U.S.C. 20506(a),
shall assess citizenship prior to providing a Federal
voter registration form to enrollees of public
assistance programs.
(e) The Attorney General shall prioritize
enforcement of 18 U.S.C. 611 and 1015(f) and similar
laws that restrict non-citizens from registering to
vote or voting, including through use of:
(i) databases or information maintained by the Department of Homeland
Security;
(ii) State-issued identification records and driver license databases; and
(iii) similar records relating to citizenship.
(f) The Attorney General shall, consistent with
applicable laws, coordinate with State attorneys
general to assist with State-level review and
prosecution of aliens unlawfully registered to vote or
casting votes.
Sec. 3. Providing Other Assistance to States Verifying
Eligibility. To assist States in determining whether
individuals are eligible to register and vote:
(a) The Commissioner of Social Security shall take
all appropriate action to make available the Social
Security Number Verification Service, the Death Master
File, and any other Federal databases containing
relevant information to all State and local election
officials engaged in verifying the eligibility of
individuals registering to vote or who are already
registered. In determining and taking such action, the
Commissioner of Social Security shall ensure compliance
with applicable privacy and data security laws and
regulations.
(b) The Attorney General shall ensure compliance
with the requirements of 52 U.S.C. 20507(g).
(c) The Attorney General shall take appropriate
action with respect to States that fail to comply with
the list maintenance requirements of the National Voter
Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act
contained in 52 U.S.C. 20507 and 52 U.S.C. 21083.
(d) The Secretary of Defense shall update the
Federal Post Card Application, pursuant to the
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52
U.S.C. 20301, to require:
(i) documentary proof of United States citizenship, as defined by section
2(a)(ii) of this order; and
(ii) proof of eligibility to vote in elections in the State in which the
voter is attempting to vote.
Sec. 4. Improving the Election Assistance Commission.
(a) The Election Assistance Commission shall, pursuant
to 52 U.S.C. 21003(b)(3) and 21142(c) and consistent
with applicable law, take all appropriate action to
cease providing Federal funds to States that do not
comply with the Federal laws set forth in 52 U.S.C.
21145, including the requirement in 52 U.S.C.
20505(a)(1) that States accept and use the national
mail voter registration form issued pursuant to 52
U.S.C. 20508(a)(1), including any requirement for
documentary proof of United States citizenship adopted
pursuant to section 2(a)(ii) of this order.
(b)(i) The Election Assistance Commission shall
initiate appropriate action to amend the Voluntary
Voting System Guidelines 2.0 and issue other
appropriate guidance establishing standards for voting
systems to protect election
[[Page 14008]]
integrity. The amended guidelines and other guidance
shall provide that voting systems should not use a
ballot in which a vote is contained within a barcode or
quick-response code in the vote counting process except
where necessary to accommodate individuals with
disabilities, and should provide a voter-verifiable
paper record to prevent fraud or mistake.
(ii) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Election Assistance
Commission shall take appropriate action to review and, if appropriate, re-
certify voting systems under the new standards established under subsection
(b)(i) of this section, and to rescind all previous certifications of
voting equipment based on prior standards.
(c) Following an audit of Help America Vote Act
fund expenditures conducted pursuant to 52 U.S.C.
21142, the Election Assistance Commission shall report
any discrepancies or issues with an audited State's
certifications of compliance with Federal law to the
Department of Justice for appropriate enforcement
action.
(d) The Secretary of Homeland Security and the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, consistent with applicable law, shall in
considering the provision of funding for State or local
election offices or administrators through the Homeland
Security Grant Programs, 6 U.S.C. 603 et seq., heavily
prioritize compliance with the Voluntary Voting System
Guidelines 2.0 developed by the Election Assistance
Commission and completion of testing through the Voting
System Test Labs accreditation process.
Sec. 5. Prosecuting Election Crimes. To protect the
franchise of American citizens and their right to
participate in fair and honest elections:
(a) The Attorney General shall take all appropriate
action to enter into information-sharing agreements, to
the maximum extent possible, with the chief State
election official or multi-member agency of each State.
These agreements shall aim to provide the Department of
Justice with detailed information on all suspected
violations of State and Federal election laws
discovered by State officials, including information on
individuals who:
(i) registered or voted despite being ineligible or who registered multiple
times;
(ii) committed election fraud;
(iii) provided false information on voter registration or other election
forms;
(iv) intimidated or threatened voters or election officials; or
(v) otherwise engaged in unlawful conduct to interfere in the election
process.
(b) To the extent that any States are unwilling to
enter into such an information sharing agreement or
refuse to cooperate in investigations and prosecutions
of election crimes, the Attorney General shall:
(i) prioritize enforcement of Federal election integrity laws in such
States to ensure election integrity given the State's demonstrated
unwillingness to enter into an information-sharing agreement or to
cooperate in investigations and prosecutions; and
(ii) review for potential withholding of grants and other funds that the
Department awards and distributes, in the Department's discretion, to State
and local governments for law enforcement and other purposes, as consistent
with applicable law.
(c) The Attorney General shall take all appropriate
action to align the Department of Justice's litigation
positions with the purpose and policy of this order.
Sec. 6. Improving Security of Voting Systems. To
improve the security of all voting equipment and
systems used to cast ballots, tabulate votes, and
report results:
(a) The Attorney General and the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall take all appropriate actions to
the extent permitted by 42 U.S.C. 5195c
[[Page 14009]]
and all other applicable law, so long as the Department
of Homeland Security maintains the designation of
election infrastructure as critical infrastructure, as
defined by 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e), to prevent all non-
citizens from being involved in the administration of
any Federal election, including by accessing election
equipment, ballots, or any other relevant materials
used in the conduct of any Federal election.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in
coordination with the Election Assistance Commission
and to the maximum extent possible, review and report
on the security of all electronic systems used in the
voter registration and voting process. The Secretary of
Homeland Security, as the head of the designated Sector
Risk Management Agency under 6 U.S.C. 652a, in
coordination with the Election Assistance Commission,
shall assess the security of all such systems to the
extent they are connected to, or integrated into, the
Internet and report on the risk of such systems being
compromised through malicious software and unauthorized
intrusions into the system.
Sec. 7. Compliance with Federal Law Setting the
National Election Day. To achieve full compliance with
the Federal laws that set the uniform day for
appointing Presidential electors and electing members
of Congress:
(a) The Attorney General shall take all necessary
action to enforce 2 U.S.C. 7 and 3 U.S.C. 1 against
States that violate these provisions by including
absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day
in the final tabulation of votes for the appointment of
Presidential electors and the election of members of
the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
(b) Consistent with 52 U.S.C. 21001(b) and other
applicable law, the Election Assistance Commission
shall condition any available funding to a State on
that State's compliance with the requirement in 52
U.S.C. 21081(a)(6) that each State adopt uniform and
nondiscriminatory standards within that State that
define what constitutes a vote and what will be counted
as a vote, including that, as prescribed in 2 U.S.C. 7
and 3 U.S.C. 1, there be a uniform and
nondiscriminatory ballot receipt deadline of Election
Day for all methods of voting, excluding ballots cast
in accordance with 52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq., after which
no additional votes may be cast.
Sec. 8. Preventing Foreign Interference and Unlawful
Use of Federal Funds. The Attorney General, in
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall
prioritize enforcement of 52 U.S.C. 30121 and other
appropriate laws to prevent foreign nationals from
contributing or donating in United States elections.
The Attorney General shall likewise prioritize
enforcement of 31 U.S.C. 1352, which prohibits lobbying
by organizations or entities that have received any
Federal funds.
Sec. 9. Federal Actions to Address Executive Order
14019. The heads of all agencies, and the Election
Assistance Commission, shall cease all agency actions
implementing Executive Order 14019 of March 7, 2021
(Promoting Access to Voting), which was revoked by
Executive Order 14148 of on January 20, 2025 (Initial
Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions),
and, within 90 days of the date of this order, submit
to the President, through the Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy, a report describing
compliance with this order.
Sec. 10. Severability. If any provision of this order,
or the application of any provision to any agency,
person, or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the
remainder of this order and the application of its
provisions to any other agencies, persons, or
circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
[[Page 14010]]
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 25, 2025.
[FR Doc. 2025-05523
Filed 3-27-25; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 28, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.