The Shapiro administration is reviewing Trump’s order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration while raising concerns over cuts to election security programs.
The Shapiro administration has said it is reviewing President Trump’s executive order that may change United States elections.
Secretary of State Al Schmidt said in a press briefing, “There’s a lot there for us to assess, whether it’s from providing in person, documentation of citizenship when registering to voting, to what voting systems can be certified.” The briefing was focused on Trump administration cuts to a federal agency that claims to monitor and warn states of threats to election security.
President Trump signed the order on Tuesday requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
The order threatens loss of federal funding for states found in noncompliance. It directs the Election Assistance Commission to require people registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship in order to distribute federal grants.
U.S. House Republicans are looking to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act. The legislation would codify parts of Trump’s executive order, particularly those focused on verifying voter eligibility and ensuring that only U.S. citizens can register to vote.
The SAVE Act would require all voter registrants to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization documents, to prevent ineligible individuals from participating in federal elections. It also includes provisions to create a national database of citizens eligible to vote, aimed at ensuring accurate voter rolls across the country.
Secretary of State Schmidt warned U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that cuts to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency program that handles election threats will “make elections less secure”.
Schmidt said, “They participated in our election threat task force that Governor Shapiro set up in advance of the 2024 election, so that federal, state and local partners were in regular communication with one another.”
In 2016, the presidential election saw a heightened amount of cyber espionage. Election infrastructure ranging from voter registration to ballot preparation and reporting results was targeted, primarily by Russia. China has also engaged in cyber attacks against U.S. communications infrastructure.
In response, CISA provided nonpartisan assistance regarding election-related processes.
Schmidt was asked why the Trump administration implemented cuts to the election security program.
He responded, “I can’t really speak to their motives. I can’t really speak to their thought process. But clearly, the fact is that election administration has been perceived as being partisan, political, and seeking to influence the outcome of elections, which is not the case in Pennsylvania.”
