This country has had a crisis of legitimacy. Too much has happened to let it go.
And now Donald Trump is about to change American elections for good with one executive order.
Trump Announces Executive Order to Ban Mail-In Voting and Electronic Machines for 2026 Midterms
President Donald Trump revealed plans on August 18, to sign an executive order aimed at eliminating mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines for the 2026 midterm elections, citing concerns over election integrity.
In a Truth Social post, Trump declared, “I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we’re at it, Highly ‘Inaccurate,’ Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES,” advocating for watermarked paper ballots as a more reliable alternative.
Trump’s Election Integrity Push
Trump stated the executive order would “help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections,” alleging without evidence that mail-in voting and electronic tabulation enable fraud. “WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE,” he wrote. He did not specify the order’s details or a signing timeline. The announcement follows a March 2025 executive order, blocked by a federal judge in June, which attempted to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day, with the court ruling Trump lacked authority to impose such restrictions.
Summit with Putin Sparks Renewed Focus
The president’s renewed focus on election processes appears tied to a recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. In a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Trump recounted, “You know, Vladimir Putin said something, one of the most interesting things. He said, ‘Your election [in 2020] was rigged because you have mail-in voting.’ He said, ‘Mail-in voting, every election.’ He said, ‘No country has mail-in voting. It’s impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections.’”
Trump added that Putin claimed a 2020 Trump victory would have prevented the Ukraine war. Contrary to these claims, at least 34 countries, including Canada and Germany, allow postal voting, per International IDEA data.
Election Administration and Legal Context
U.S. elections are primarily managed by states and localities, guided by federal laws like the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Federal Election Commission oversees campaign practices, while the Election Assistance Commission and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency support election administration and security.
Most voting systems use paper ballots scanned by machines, with multiple accuracy checks, despite Trump’s assertions of their inaccuracy.
Public and Legal Reactions
Trump’s proposal has sparked varied reactions. Supporters on X praise the move as a step toward secure elections, while critics, including the ACLU’s Sophia Lin Lakin, argue it threatens access for disabled and military voters, stating, “Mail-in voting remains a vital safeguard of our democracy.” A 2024 U.S. Election Assistance Commission report noted 30.3% of ballots were cast by mail, down from 43% in 2020.
Legal experts, like Marc Elias of Democracy Docket, call the proposed order “unconstitutional,” citing states’ constitutional authority over elections under Article I, Section 4. Trump countered, “Remember, the States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.”
Overall Implications
The announcement follows Trump’s push to reshape election processes, echoing his unproven claims of 2020 election fraud. “ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS,” he concluded, adding, “I, AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WILL FIGHT LIKE H*LL TO BRING HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BACK TO OUR ELECTIONS.” Legal challenges are expected, given states’ autonomy and prior court rulings limiting presidential authority over election administration.
