Trump administration pushes stricter voter ID rules and challenges to mail-in voting ahead of 2026 midterms

The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to tighten voting rules as the 2026 midterm elections approach. It is promoting the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require voters to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, rather than a driver’s license. Campaign Legal Center director Jonathan Diaz warned that the measure could disenfranchise millions, noting that more than 21 million voting-age Americans lack such documentation, with higher rates among young people, low-income voters and people of color.

The administration also seeks to expand use of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, a federal system originally designed to verify eligibility for benefits. While a district judge blocked the database’s use for voter verification in June over privacy concerns, the Supreme Court lifted the block in September, allowing states that opted in to continue using it. Diaz described the system as “incredibly unreliable” for confirming individual citizenship status, especially for naturalized citizens.

In parallel, the Justice Department has charged more than 100 individuals in 20 states with alleged non-citizen voting or registration offenses, and it has sued California over a list of 20,000 mail-in ballots it claimed were cast by non-citizens. A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, stating it violated constitutional principles that give states control over elections.

The administration has also pursued restrictions on mail-in voting. An executive order signed by President Trump in March would have imposed new standards on the U.S. Postal Service for handling voter-specific data and ballot envelopes, but the Supreme Court blocked the order in September. Diaz said the administration is likely to continue seeking ways to make mail-in voting more difficult, though he doubts it will succeed.

Redistricting efforts have intensified as well, with Republican leaders in several states, including Texas, drawing new congressional maps that favor their party. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to narrow the grounds for challenging maps under the Voting Rights Act could further enable such gerrymandering. Diaz cautioned that redistricting “is a problem much bigger than these midterm elections” and threatens the long-term health of democracy.

Overall, the administration’s actions have sparked concern among voting-rights advocates, who say the combined effect of stricter ID requirements, database usage, legal challenges, and redistricting creates uncertainty for voters ahead of the upcoming elections.