Congressional Voting Rights Caucus Condemns Trump Executive Order on Elections as Unconstitutional and Illegal

Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) along with Congressional Voting Rights Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) issued a forceful rebuke of President Donald Trump’s March 25, 2025, Executive Order entitled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections. The letter, sent directly to Trump and signed by an additional 55 members of Congress, outlines the unconstitutional and illegal overreach of the order, which threatens to disenfranchise millions of American voters and undermine the integrity of our elections.

The Executive Order directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to impose documentary proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration, withhold federal funding from states that do not comply, and override state laws on ballot counting deadlines—actions that directly contradict the Constitution’s guarantee of equal access to the ballot regardless of race, gender, or financial status.

The members wrote:

“In no uncertain terms, we believe this order is unconstitutional, illegal, and impractical, could result in millions of voters being disenfranchised, and opens the door for false and misleading accusations of impropriety from your Administration.”

The lawmakers also raised alarm over the Executive Order’s disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, including Native Americans, women who have changed their names, and voters who lack access to passports or other costly documentation. By imposing these requirements, the order effectively creates a modern-day poll tax, in clear violation of the 24th Amendment.

“With election administration consistently underfunded around the country, your Executive Order imposes an unfunded mandate of the bedrock principle of our democracy,” the members continued. “Absent efforts by your Administration to support local governments in implementing your Executive Order, there are strong signs that the intent of your Executive Order is to cause chaos in election administration, not to increase election security.” 

The Congressional Voting Rights Caucus is demanding that Trump immediately rescind the Executive Order, warning that it opens the door for baseless accusations of voter fraud and a dangerous erosion of trust in the electoral process.

The letter concludes:

“Free, fair, open and accessible elections are the bedrock of American democracy–implementing this order would do unfathomable harm to our constituents’ right to vote, the freedoms of our democracy, and the integrity of our elections.” 

Read the full letter here.