Overview
- A 17-page proposal asserts Chinese interference in 2020 would let the president declare a national emergency to assume broad authority over election administration.
- Organizers say they have shared the draft with the White House and expect it to shape a forthcoming election-focused executive order, while the White House declined to discuss specifics.
- The document aligns with President Trump’s push for nationwide voter ID and bans on mail-in ballots, which he has said he could pursue through executive action if Congress does not act.
- Florida attorney Peter Ticktin, an advocate for the draft, argues an emergency finding would permit prohibitions on mail ballots and voting machines as potential channels for foreign meddling.
- Experts cited in the reporting note that state governments hold primary authority over elections, constraining unilateral presidential action without specific statutory authorization.