Executive Order 14248 Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, signed by President Donald J. Trump on March 25, 2025, and published in the 90 Federal Register 61 (March 28, 2025). Full Document "This article was drafted with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model. All content has been reviewed and edited by Vernellia Randall to ensure accuracy and coherence."
Summary
Executive Order 14248 presents itself as a measure to secure America's elections, but in practice, it signals a sweeping retreat from federal support for equitable access to the ballot. Signed by President Trump, the order builds upon long-standing rhetoric around voter fraud and foreign interference. It displaces previous pro-voter actions, such as EO 14019, and paves the way for increased federal scrutiny while removing the federal government's role in promoting inclusive participation. In a post-Voting Rights Act landscape, EO 14248 emboldens restrictive state actions and legitimizes voter suppression under the guise of neutrality and national security.
Key Provisions
1. Enhanced Federal-State Cooperation:
Federal agencies, particularly the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, are instructed to collaborate with state election officials to improve security and oversight. While framed as cooperative, this provision increases federal influence over election administration without safeguards for racial equity.
2. Protection of Election Infrastructure:
Agencies must assess the security of voting systems, voter registration databases, and mail-in ballot infrastructure. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) sets standards and conducts risk evaluations.
3. Combatting Foreign Interference:
The order calls for interagency intelligence sharing and monitoring to detect foreign interference. The Director of National Intelligence is to provide classified and public reports.
4. Ensuring Public Confidence:
The EO calls for transparency initiatives and communication strategies to increase voter confidence. It focuses heavily on perception management rather than material improvements to access or equity.
5. Policy Review and Rollback Potential:
The order mandates a review of all prior election-related executive actions. This provision targets EO 14019, signaling a rollback of pro-access initiatives and prioritizing restrictions.
Racial Justice Analysis
EO 14248 continues a legacy in which the language of security and order is used to suppress participation. While the order claims neutrality, its implementation reflects the strategic dismantling of civil rights protections won over decades of struggle. Its emphasis on surveillance, without any reference to voting access or equity, echoes Jim Crow-era tactics dressed in 21st-century terminology.
The absence of any acknowledgment of racial disparities in voting undermines the federal responsibility to protect against systemic discrimination. In the context of Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted preclearance under the Voting Rights Act, and Alexander v. Sandoval, which limited disparate impact claims, EO 14248 becomes a dangerous tool for regression.
It affirms a colorblind legal order that ignores the lived realities of Black, Latino, Indigenous, and poor voters. By rescinding EO 14019 initiatives, the order may halt efforts like voter registration drives, access expansion for disabled or rural voters, and language-access materials—all disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.
In effect, EO 14248 federalizes the rhetoric of voter fraud without offering protections for the communities historically excluded from full democratic participation.
Conclusion
Executive Order 14248 is not a neutral bureaucratic shift. It is a political signal that shifts federal authority away from voter protection and toward voter restriction. In an era when racial disparities in voting access remain deeply entrenched, the federal government's role must be to protect and expand the right to vote. The implications of this order on the democratic process are profound, as it threatens to undermine the very foundation of our democracy.
Instead, EO 14248 legitimizes modern voter suppression under the cover of security and integrity. It exploits a weakened Voting Rights Act framework and narrows the executive branch's commitment to equity. The result is a chilling regression toward disenfranchisement.
At a time when democratic participation is under assault in many states, the federal government must resist aligning itself with suppression. The people deserve a government that safeguards—not undermines—their fundamental right to vote.
Advocacy Section: Take Action to Defend Voting Rights
The stakes are too high for silence. EO 14248 threatens hard-won protections for communities of color and undermines the democratic process. Here's how to fight back:
1. Call for Legislative Action:
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Demand Congress pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
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Support legislation that affirms nationwide standards for ballot access, early voting, and multilingual ballots.
2. Pressure Executive Agencies:
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Urge agencies not to dismantle EO 14019 initiatives.
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Call on DOJ's Civil Rights Division to monitor states that use EO 14248 to justify suppression.
3. Mobilize Locally:
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Partner with voting rights groups.
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Host town halls and share resources on EO 14248's impact.
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Submit FOIA requests to demand transparency.
4. Speak Out:
Use your platform to educate and advocate:
Sample Letter to Congress:
Dear [Representative/Senator],
I am writing to express my deep concern about Executive Order 14248, which President Donald J. Trump signed on March 25, 2025. While it purports to enhance election security, in practice it poses a significant threat to voting rights—particularly for Black, Latino, Indigenous, and low-income communities that have historically faced systemic barriers to full democratic participation.
EO 14248 dismantles the progress made under previous executive orders like EO 14019, which sought to expand access to the ballot through federal agency support for voter registration, language accessibility, and civic engagement. Instead of promoting these pro-democracy initiatives, EO 14248 replaces them with policies focused on surveillance, enforcement, and rollback.
In a post-Shelby County v. Holder environment—where the Voting Rights Act's strongest protections have been stripped away—we cannot afford to allow the federal government to retreat from its duty to protect voting rights. With the additional limitations imposed by Alexander v. Sandoval on individuals' ability to bring disparate impact claims, executive and legislative action are more critical than ever.
I respectfully urge you to:
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Publicly oppose Executive Order 14248 and speak out against its racially disparate impact.
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Support and help pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
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Advocate for new federal standards to guarantee early voting, vote-by-mail, multilingual materials, and protections for vulnerable voters.
Democracy is not secure when access to the vote is unequally distributed. Please use your voice and your office to defend the fundamental rights of all Americans.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
Sample Social Media Post:
🗳️ EO 14248 = voter suppression in a suit. It guts access, ignores equity, and cloaks disenfranchisement in the language of security. Demand Congress pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. #ProtectTheVote #VotingRightsNow #EO14248
