Enforcing Election Integrity

Election integrity depends on more than passing laws. It depends on whether those laws are consistently enforced, whether election systems are transparent, and whether officials responsible for administering elections have the tools necessary to verify eligibility and maintain public confidence. Federal involvement is appropriate when enforcing nationwide election laws and protecting public confidence in elections.

In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14248, titled

“Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” The order focuses on several areas of election administration, including voter registration requirements, voter roll maintenance, federal agency coordination, ballot deadlines, and voting system standards. Its stated purpose is to strengthen enforcement of existing election laws and establish additional safeguards for election security.

A central focus of the executive order is the enforcement of requirements already contained in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA).

The NVRA, commonly known as the “Motor Voter Act,” was designed to increase voter registration opportunities while also establishing procedures to maintain accurate voter rolls. Section 8 of the law requires states to conduct reasonable and systematic voter list maintenance programs. States must make efforts to identify registrations that may no longer be valid, including voters who have moved, died, or otherwise become ineligible.

At the same time, the NVRA establishes procedures that protect against improper removal of eligible voters. When a voter is identified as potentially inactive, states generally must provide notice and follow specific waiting periods before removing the voter from the registration list. The law also restricts certain types of voter roll removals within 90 days of a federal election.

Executive Order 14248 emphasizes these existing voter list maintenance responsibilities and directs federal attention toward states’ compliance with federal election laws. Accurate voter rolls are essential because outdated or inaccurate registrations can undermine election outcomes.

Nevada has experienced significant voter roll changes in recent election cycles. Following the 2024 election, Nevada election officials reported removing more than 162,000 voter registrations and placing nearly 38,000 additional registrations into inactive status as part of routine list maintenance. Continued review of voter rolls is necessary to ensure registration lists accurately reflect eligible voters.

The executive order also addresses voter eligibility verification. It directs federal agencies to explore greater coordination with states, including access to government records that may assist with verifying voter eligibility. These records may include information related to citizenship, immigration status, Social Security records, and death records.

Current federal law already encourages certain forms of database matching. HAVA requires states to establish computerized statewide voter registration systems and provides standards for verifying registration information through available government databases. Executive Order 14248 seeks to expand and strengthen the use of these tools.

Under current NVRA procedures, applicants registering through the federal voter registration form generally affirm under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens. Executive Order 14248 directs federal officials to examine additional documentation requirements for verifying citizenship.

The executive order directs the ensuring that ballots comply with federal election deadlines and promotes the use of voter-verifiable paper records and auditable election systems. These goals align with HAVA’s emphasis on secure voting systems and reliable election administration.

Executive Order 14248 does not replace NVRA or HAVA. Instead, it emphasizes enforcement of existing requirements and promotes additional measures intended to strengthen election administration. Public confidence is built on protecting eligible voters, clear election procedures, and consistently applied rules governing elections.

Election Integrity Project® Nevada LLC, (EIPNv) is a tax exempt, public benefit, non-profit 501(c)(3), non-partisan corporation dedicated to assuring that every legally cast vote is properly counted and reported. EIPNv is available to assist citizen groups as well as political and business organizations on a non-partisan basis in their efforts to assure integrity in the voting process. Over the past 14 years, we have filed lawsuits requesting the clean-up of voter registration rolls and even new elections based on our findings.

You can help Election Integrity Project® Nevada, LLC, by making a tax deductible contribution of your choice here.

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