Bend, Ore. – On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that introduces several sweeping changes to the federal election process, stirring strong reactions from political leaders in Oregon and legal experts nationwide.

The order requires all voters to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Acceptable forms of documentation include passports, government-issued IDs, and birth certificates. This mandate is a key element of Trump’s broader push to reform the election process and ensure, as he claims, “fair and secure” elections.

Additionally, the executive order alters the deadline for counting ballots, requiring all mail-in and absentee ballots to be received by Election Day. This change marks a stark departure from current practices in Oregon, where ballots postmarked by Election Day and received up to seven days afterward are still eligible for counting.

Oregon Leaders Express Strong Opposition

Oregon’s Secretary of State, Tobias Read, voiced strong objections to the executive order, warning it could cause significant disruption to the state’s well-established voting procedures. “We already run fair and secure elections in Oregon. This is an executive order that moves us away from that,” Read stated. “I think it’s going to be challenged, and I don’t think it’s going to stand.”

Read, who has long championed Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, argued that the order would make it harder for Oregonians to vote and would introduce unnecessary uncertainty into the electoral process. He anticipates a flurry of legal challenges in response to the order.

Legal Experts Cast Doubt on the Order’s Legality

Legal experts are also questioning the authority behind Trump’s actions. William F. Gary, a senior trial attorney with Harrang Long P.C., argued that the president lacks the constitutional authority to change election laws via executive order. “The president of the United States simply does not have authority to control elections, whether at the state level or the federal level, by simply issuing an executive order,” Gary said.

Gary also expressed concern that while some states may not be legally required to follow the order, politically aligned states could adopt the president’s directives, which may set a dangerous precedent. “The real danger in what the president has done is that there are likely states out there that are solidly red that will simply follow the president’s directions,” he warned.

A Push for Broader Reform

The executive order also directs the U.S. Department of Justice to increase efforts to investigate and prosecute election-related crimes, including voter fraud and election interference. Additionally, the Election Assistance Commission is tasked with withholding federal funding from states that do not comply with these new requirements.

Earlier this year, congressional Republicans introduced a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, and Trump’s executive order is seen as an attempt to fast-track that agenda.

Oregon’s Leadership Reacts

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek sharply criticized the order, emphasizing that Oregon’s election system is already one of the most secure and accessible in the country. “States, not the President, have the responsibility to run elections. I will fight to protect the hard-won access to democracy that we have celebrated in Oregon for years,” Kotek stated.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, who has long advocated for secure and accessible voting, also condemned the order. “This ‘carry your papers’ directive smacks of authoritarianism and undermines the trust and integrity of our elections,” Wyden said. “I agree with Oregon’s Secretary of State Tobias Read and Attorney General Dan Rayfield that this order is illegal and a direct attack on our state’s election rights.”

Legal Challenges Loom

As expected, the order has sparked immediate legal challenges. Oregon officials are prepared to fight the new mandates in court, arguing that the executive order infringes on the state’s constitutional rights to manage its own elections.

With legal battles likely to unfold in the coming weeks, the future of Trump’s executive order remains uncertain. As political and legal leaders in Oregon prepare for a potential showdown, the country watches closely to see how these developments will impact the ongoing debate over federal control of state elections.