# Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 26, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019 "2026-02-26T18:18:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/61 "2026-02-27T20:50:35Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > Ahem. Excuse me. As pedantry is our group hobby here, Obliged. Enlightened. Corrected. Thank you. Frankly, from my safe distance of the low budget side of the puddle, that significant distinction was missed. 🙇‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/62 "2026-02-27T20:55:15Z")
My pleasure!!😁 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/63 "2026-02-27T21:08:25Z")
It could be even worse, depending on whether you are anywhere near a courthouse, whether there are more courthouses than polling places or less, what the hours to pick up the ballots would be etc. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/64 "2026-02-27T21:48:38Z")
Having now seen a draft of the order, I’m increasingly confident that there’s no way it would stand up in court - among other things, it voids all current voter registrations nationwide and requires all voters to reregister in person, requires mail-in ballots to be notarized, bans dropoff boxes, requires all ballots to be filled out by hand, and purports to override the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act. > **[Peoples-Executive-Order-2.pdf](https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Peoples-Executive-Order-2.pdf)** > > 154.12 KB ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/65 "2026-02-27T22:43:48Z")
The only thing that surprised me was the date, April 12, 2025. Not sure why. Guess I thought it would have been something more recent. Late: _The metadata says it was created on April 15, 2025. So definitely it existed prior, not sure if prior to April 12 or earlier_. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/66 "2026-02-27T22:44:16Z")
Stand up in court? I don’t see how some of that stuff can even be accomplished in the amount of time available. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/67 "2026-02-27T22:44:40Z")
> **[Trump says he's not mulling a draft executive order to seize control over...](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-hes-not-mulling-a-draft-executive-order-to-seize-control-over-elections-heres-what-we-know)** > > The 17-page proposal, a working document reviewed in full by PBS News, would give him extraordinary power over the 2026 midterm elections. I think he’s telling the truth this time, at least for 2026. As Drum\_God just said, it is too late. Three state primaries are next Tuesday. And because DJT rules by decree, control of Congress is not as important for him as it would be for a normie president. He’ll save his big time cheating push for 2028 (and/or January 6, 2029). ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/68 "2026-02-27T23:00:19Z")
> [@Drum\_God](#): > > I don’t see how some of that stuff can even be accomplished in the amount of time available. Yeah. It’s unfeasible and unenforceable. This is apparently the idea of the same guy who told Trump he could pardon Tina Peters for a state crime, so that’s not surprising. If he actually issues an order declaring that all voter registrations are void and have to be reapplied for in person, I imagine even the deepest red states would tell him “We’re not doing that”. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/69 "2026-02-27T23:09:26Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > If he actually issues an order declaring that all voter registrations are void and have to be reapplied for in person, I imagine even the deepest red states would tell him “We’re not doing that” Ha. I live in Texas. Ever heard of Ken Paxton? Even with the current situation, millions of Texas voters (including me) did not receive their 2026-27 voter registration cards in time for the 2026 primary elections, going on now. Fortunately, the Texas voter card is not one of the seven forms of identification required to be presented at the time of voting. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/70 "2026-02-28T00:26:49Z")
I mean, even from a practical sense, I imagine that whatever agency handles voter registrations in Texas doesn’t have the manpower to accomodate tens of millions of people suddenly needing to reregister all at once. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/71 "2026-02-28T00:57:55Z")
I know what you mean. Just look back at all those months of finagling, paperwork, court cases and debates, all that fighting with Congress, all that _shit_ before he finally gave up on that silly idea of tearing down the East Wing of the White House itself just to put in a ballroom. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/72 "2026-02-28T01:37:54Z")
Trump’s not the one who would have to deal with paperwork. The states do. Does the state of Texas want to deal with re-registering tens of millions of voters in-person and by hand, and spend the money necessary for such a project, for the purpose of making Donald Trump happy? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/73 "2026-02-28T01:56:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Meanwhile the federal courts will have issued an injunction barring the Post Office from failing to deliver election mail, which is specifically protected under federal law.. Nope. The USPS does not have to deliver mail to the correct address. [Court holds that U.S. Postal Service can’t be sued over intentionally misdelivered mail](https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/02/court-holds-that-u-s-postal-service-cant-be-sued-over-intentionally-misdelivered-mail/) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/74 "2026-02-28T01:59:31Z")
“You are not allowed to sue the Post Office” != “the president can ordsr the Post Office to not deliver election mail”. > **[Election Mail Security – United States Postal Inspection Service](https://www.uspis.gov/election-mail-security)** ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/75 "2026-02-28T02:00:41Z")
Then who has standing to bring a court case if the USPS worker throws your election mail into the garbage because you live in an area that votes predominantly for the D candidate? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/76 "2026-02-28T02:16:59Z")
How many USPS workers do you suppose are willing to risk prison time in this scenario? > **[18 U.S. Code § 1701 - Obstruction of mails generally](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1701)** ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/77 "2026-02-28T03:00:41Z")
Well, the supreme court has ruled that postal workers do not have to deliver anything, even if their reasoning is that they don’t like uppity black women who own too much property. So I don’t think any jail time will be in their future. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/78 "2026-02-28T03:07:04Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Well, the supreme court has ruled that postal workers do not have to deliver anything, even if their reasoning is that they don’t like uppity black women who own too much property. They did not rule any such thing. They ruled that federal law shields the Post Office from lawsuits. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/79 "2026-02-28T03:32:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > How many USPS workers do you suppose are willing to risk prison time in this scenario? It depends on what the postal workers’ perceptions are. If, like ICE, they’ve been led to believe that they’re safe from pesky things like laws, they may not look any deeper. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019/80 "2026-02-28T04:07:38Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > If, like ICE, they’ve been led to believe that they’re safe from pesky things like laws, they may not look any deeper. > **[Former Portsmouth postal worker pleads guilty to dumping 4,900 pieces of mail](https://www.wtkr.com/investigations/former-portsmouth-postal-worker-pleads-guilty-to-dumping-4-900-pieces-of-mail)** > > A former U.S. Postal Service employee has pleaded guilty to federal charges after admitting he dumped thousands of pieces of mail in Portsmouth, according to court documents. > **[Mailman said bottled urine is part of the reason he dumped mail in Virginia...](https://www.wtkr.com/investigations/mailman-said-bottled-urine-is-part-of-the-reason-he-dumped-dozens-of-pieces-of-mail-in-virginia-beach)** > > A Virginia Beach mail carrier admitted to dumping more than 200 pieces of mail in a dumpster after urinating in a water bottle and placing it on top of the mail, according to federal prosecutors. I don’t think they’ve got that impression. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-seeking-executive-power-over-elections-is-urged-to-declare-emergency/1028019.md?page=5)