What Happened?

The federal government's approach to running elections has shifted significantly toward executive action, according to a new report published by Congress' research branch. Since March 2025, the executive branch has issued multiple executive orders directing more than 20 federal agencies to take on roles in campaigns and election policy. [](#ngr-a3e8c792-e24a-45a8-bbe0-4982e039865c)

The orders cover voter registration verification, proof of citizenship requirements, ballot handling, and election security funding. That touches nearly every stage of how Americans cast a vote, from signing up to register all the way through how ballots are counted and certified.

Both Executive Order 14248 and Executive Order 14399 have faced legal challenges in court. The U.S. Postal Service published a final rule on August 26, governing outbound ballots for federal general elections, but the U.S. Supreme Court denied a government stay request on September 14, effectively blocking the rule for the 2026 elections.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

Think of it like your local school district suddenly changing how it runs parent elections, not through a school board vote, but through a series of memos from the superintendent. That's roughly the dynamic playing out here at the federal level, and the effects are showing up at actual polling places.

Federal law enforcement agents appeared at polling places during 2026 primary elections. On September 1, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mullin stated that agency personnel could respond to polling places for specific threats or to serve warrants.

The Department of Justice plans to send approximately 1,000 personnel to observe polling places during the 2026 general election.

In July, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would withhold 20 percent of Homeland Security Grant Program funding unless states took specified election administration actions, including using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database to verify the citizenship of voters on state rolls, a condition that has also been subject to litigation. For states that rely on that grant money to fund emergency preparedness, that's a real financial pressure tied directly to how they run their elections.

Both Sides, Now

Supporters of the executive orders point to the citizenship verification and voter-roll integrity measures as necessary steps to secure elections. Critics argue that routing election policy through executive agencies, rather than Congress, bypasses the normal lawmaking process and leaves states caught between federal directives and ongoing court rulings.

Congress has not significantly amended federal election law during the 119th Congress, leaving most authority in executive hands as the general election approaches. The House has passed versions of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America Act) as an amendment to S. 1383 and passed legislation concerning campaign finance filing requirements that could affect Federal Election Commission processes. Those measures have not yet become law.

What Happens Next?

The Election Assistance Commission currently has no commissioners in office, and the Federal Election Commission has only two of its required commissioners, with two nominations pending in the Senate. Both agencies play key roles in overseeing how federal elections are run and funded, so those vacancies matter heading into a general election.

The administration's election policies remain largely unimplemented due to court challenges, yet some are still moving forward. With the 2026 general election approaching, the legal fights over these orders are likely to continue shaping what voters actually experience at the polls.

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This article was generated by AI pulling from data. Each article is edited by an editor for accuracy and clarity.

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