Key facts
- The Trump administration will require states to adopt specific election security measures to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds.
- These new requirements are part of President Donald Trump's efforts to address alleged voter fraud.
- Mandatory changes include phasing out certain electronic voting systems and adopting hand-marked paper ballots.
- States must also use a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) citizenship verification database for voter rolls.
- Non-compliant states risk losing 20% of their homeland security grant money.
- The DHS stated that election security is a core national security priority and recipients of federal funding should expect accountability.
The Trump administration is set to mandate that states implement specific election security measures to qualify for federal homeland security grants, according to statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and internal documents obtained by CNN. These requirements, which could affect tens of millions of dollars in funding, are part of President Donald Trump's broader agenda to address alleged voter fraud and increase federal oversight of election processes.
Under the new guidelines for several homeland security grant programs, states must commit to reforms such as phasing out certain electronic voting systems in favor of hand-marked paper ballots and running their voter rolls through a controversial DHS citizenship verification database. Failure to comply could result in states losing up to 20% of their grant money, which is crucial for terrorism prevention, infrastructure protection, and disaster preparedness.
While a DHS spokesperson stated that election security is a core national security priority and that recipients of federal funding should expect accountability, the move has drawn criticism from some election officials and legal experts. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows called the attempt to "back-door changes to our election laws" unacceptable, and David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer, anticipates legal challenges, citing the constitutional authority of states over election administration.
This strategy of using federal funds as leverage to push state policies aligns with previous actions taken by the administration on issues like immigration and diversity initiatives, some of which have faced legal opposition. The grants in question, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are a significant source of funding for state and local governments, with approximately $28 million specifically designated for election security within the broader Homeland Security Grant Program.