Trump Orders Tighter Mail Voting Rules With State Lists and Barcoded Envelopes

Overview

• President Trump signed the order Tuesday, directing a federal list of eligible voters and barcoded envelopes to track every mailed ballot.
• The policy allows states to send absentee ballots only to people on their state mail-vote rolls and uses the U.S. Postal Service to require unique barcodes on envelopes.
• Trump said the rule could be tested in court, and election experts expect quick lawsuits because states, not the White House, set voting procedures.
• The action arrives months before the November midterms as Republicans push the SAVE America Act and stricter ID rules for voting.
• Researchers find very little proven mail ballot fraud even as Trump repeats unproven claims of widespread cheating, and critics warn tighter rules could reduce turnout for low-income and minority voters.