Presidential Executive Order on Elections

By Nancy Murray

Candice Stutzriem hosted The Peak News on 101.1 FM as a citizen journalist on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. She invited her good friends and RSF election integrity (EI) colleagues, Vinnie Dinda and Nancy Murray to discuss the subject EO and how it will affect Colorado’s elections. As a follow-up, Candice and Nancy provided a summary to the RSF. Below is the summary as we interpreted the EO. The Election EO can be obtained on the White House Website.

We hope this is the first of many Executive Orders (EO) addressing our flawed elections. This EO does not address mail in ballots or the process of counting the ballots. It does not create new rules, it is just outlining how this administration will enforce existing laws that have been ignored or deliberately not enforced.

The Gateway Pundit gives us additional hope by publishing this article on April 17th, the day after our meeting, Trump’s National Security Emergency.

There are four broad areas of Elections Operations affected by the order. It begins with presenting Proof of Citizenship while registering to vote. Next, it addresses State requirements to Clean Up the Voter Rolls. Third, it addresses recertifying voting equipment under new Voting System Guidelines.  And fourth, the order improves the overall Security of Voting Systems used to cast, tabulate and report results.

The last portion of this document discusses how the Administration will enforce this EO. 

Note: Any text following a (-) is our opinion and/or the impact of the subject item.

Proof of Citizenship: 

Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will require documentary proof of US citizenship on the national voter registration form within 30 days.

Federal government will provide states access to databases to verify citizenship.

– CO will need to implement the national voter registration form and collect documented proof of new registered voters that they are citizens. CO will no longer be able to use such documents as an electric bill as a form of id. Self-attestation by the voter is not acceptable.

Voter Rolls: 

States are required to clean their voter rolls by removing all non-citizens.

DOGE will work with states to do so by comparing State voter rolls to immigration databases.

Access to other Federal databases will be available to the states to verify citizenship.

– CO will need to document proof of citizenship for all registered voters with one of the approved ids/documents to be in compliance with the law. Self-attestation by the voter is not acceptable.

Election Equipment:

The EAC shall amend the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 and other guidance establishing standards for voting systems to protect election integrity.

Within 180 days EAC shall take appropriate action to review and, if appropriate, re-certify voting systems under the new standards and to rescind all previous certifications of voting equipment based on prior standards.

– In 2017 Homeland Security designated election equipment as critical infrastructure.

– Current standards were written in 2005 and have not been updated since the new designation of critical infrastructure. 

– Current CO election equipment originates from a foreign country and do not meet the standards for “critical infrastructure.”  

– Election systems are “adding machines” but the code has never been evaluated by a third party to verify that they are just adding the votes. Based on this alone, these machines should not be certified.

– Mesa County reports identified many issues with the election systems in CO that have yet to be corrected.

– EAC will likely de-certification all election systems/equipment in use today due to non-compliance with the new standards that meet “critical infrastructure.”

Improving Security of Voting Systems: 

USAG/DHS shall “prevent all non-citizens from …accessing election equipment, ballots or any other relevant materials used in the conduct of Federal Election. DHS, in coordination with EAC, will review and report on security of all electronic systems used in voter registration and voting process.

– This refers to all election equipment; there isn’t a single voter registration system or voting system being used in the U.S. which is not accessed by non-citizens, because every single one of them uses computers assembled or manufactured overseas, primarily China. (per Col (ret.) Shawn Smith)

All election equipment will be evaluated to determine if they are connected to the internet and the risks of being compromised through software or intrusions.

– ERIC and SCORE are connected to the internet.

– Mesa County reports verified that their equipment had wi-fi cards installed.

– El Paso County (EPC) purchased new voting equipment “without” wi-fi cards, but this has not been verified.

Non-Compliance with Executive Order:

EAC could withhold funds to States that do not comply with Federal laws identified in the EO that are already in place.

States will be audited to ensure they comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). If found to be non-compliant, they will be referred to DOJ.

States that are not in compliance with the EO risk losing Homeland Security FEMA grants.

– CO Secretary of State has joined 18 other states to fight the EO in the courts, so likely will not comply.

– State election officials (i.e. Jena Griswold) who have certified compliance with Federal law in order to receive Federal HAVA grant funds may now be prosecuted for those fraudulent certifications. (per Col (ret.) Shawn Smith)

National Election Day:

All ballots are to be counted on election day. Ballots received after election day are not to be counted.

– EPC is in compliance.

Preventing Foreign Interference and Unlawful Use of Federal Funds:

Foreign nationals are prevented from contributing or donating in US elections.

– Targets donations from ActBlue and WinRed.

Prohibits lobbying by organizations that receive Federal Funds.

Federal Actions to Address EO 14019:

Heads of all agencies, and the EAC, shall cease all agency actions of EO 14019 – commonly referred to “Get out the Vote” EO.