California Common Cause is encouraging state lawmakers to reassert their right to control California elections in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order, which attempts to override state and federal voting laws. 

On Tuesday, President Trump issued an executive order that attempts to put the White House in charge of California elections by instituting voter suppression tactics on when ballots can be counted and how to verify eligible voters. 

The executive order claims to block funding for elections for states who do not comply, despite the potential legality of the order. Not only does this administration not have the power to make laws through executive order, there is existing legislation, passed by Congress and signed into law, that outlines what is required to register to vote in federal elections. This executive order is not it. 

This move could have a measurable impact on California’s election system, gutting a significant amount of its funding, particularly targeting funding based on our vote-by-mail laws which allow ballots received after election day to be counted. This executive order would also enable the Department of Homeland Security and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to subpoena California voting records. The Secretary of State’s election program is responsible for maintaining the official state databases of registered voters and administering and overseeing federal and state elections held in California. 

“A president does not set election law for California and never will. Trump’s executive action is another brazen attempt to enact baseless voter suppression tactics, especially in diverse states like ours that have consistently opposed his ongoing assaults on our democracy. We will not allow the president to wield executive actions in an attempt to twist the arm of election officials to comply with his agenda by threatening access to federal funds. Voter suppression has no place in California, and we will fiercely resist it,” said Russia Chavis Cardenas, Deputy Director of California Common Cause.