Mandate for identification verification of all ballots announced by Trump
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to issue an executive order that would significantly alter the electoral system for the 2026 midterm elections. The order, if enacted, would end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines, and instead require voter identification for every voter.
The Nov. 3, 2026, elections will mark the first nationwide referendum on Trump's domestic and foreign policies since he returned to power in January. This election will be a significant test of public opinion on Trump's policies and leadership, as well as the effectiveness of his efforts to reform the electoral system.
Democrats will be seeking to break the Republicans' grip on both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections. If Trump's executive order is enacted, it could potentially increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement, as some voters may not have access to the necessary identification.
Trump's executive order will only allow mail-in voting for the ill and far-away military. This move comes after Trump's long-standing criticism of mail-in voting, which he has falsely claimed led to widespread fraud in the 2020 elections.
Election officials have previously stated that the process of hand counting is time-consuming, costly, and less accurate than machine counting. However, Trump has called for the end of electronic voting machines and advocates for the use of paper ballots and hand counts.
The approval of the issuance of an executive order requiring voter identification for all voters would fall to the President of the United States. However, it is unclear whether the president has the constitutional power to enact such a measure for the 2026 midterm elections, as federal elections are administered at the state level.
The president and his Republican allies have made baseless claims about widespread voting by non-citizens, which is illegal and rarely occurs. These claims have been widely discredited, but they have fuelled Trump's push for stricter voter identification laws.
The 2026 midterm elections will be the first elections since Trump's return to power in which electronic voting machines may not be used, if Trump's executive order is enacted. This could lead to a lengthy and complex process of hand counting votes, potentially causing delays and increasing costs.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the debate over electoral reform and voter identification is likely to intensify. The outcome of this debate could have profound implications for the democratic process in the United States.
