Trump Calls for Investigation into Maryland’s Ballot Issues
Former President Donald Trump has raised concerns over misprinted mail-in ballots in Maryland, connecting them to what he describes as “corrupt” actions by Democratic Governor Wes Moore. He has called for a Justice Department investigation led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that “we shipped 500,000 illegal mail-in ballots and we got caught!” This was in response to reports from the Republican National Committee about issues concerning ballot integrity during the election. He further remarked, “They’re going to send out another 500,000 mail-in ballots, but no one knows what’s going on with the first batch. Plus, many of those went to Democrats, leaving Maryland Republicans at a disadvantage!”
Despite Trump’s assertions, Maryland election officials have not confirmed that any illegal ballots were sent out. The State Board of Elections noted that over 500,000 voters had indeed requested mail-in ballots, and a vendor error had caused problems for those who received them by mail before May 14. They are set to send replacements to maintain trust in the mail-in voting process.
Trump’s post continued with accusations directed at Governor Moore, alleging that these mistakes were part of a scheme to ensure a Democratic win. He seemed puzzled why Maryland had historically leaned Democratic, suggesting that “things like this” clarified it for him. His call for an investigation emphasized the urgency of the situation.
Recently, Jared DeMarinis, a state elections official, challenged Trump’s claims, explaining that the issue stemmed from some voters receiving ballots from the incorrect party. “Voting by mail is essential,” he stated, while assuring voters that efforts are being made to ensure accuracy and transparency.
The vendor responsible for the ballots, Taylor Print and Visual Impressions, confirmed that they are preparing replacement ballots and are implementing safeguards to ensure that only corrected ballots are accepted. However, specifics about these measures have not been disclosed.
Furthermore, they informed that all replacement ballots would be remailed by May 29, 2026, advising voters to discard any original ballots received. The entire situation has sparked frustration among Republicans, pushing them to demand federal reviews of voter rolls in Maryland, especially after the evident mismanagement of the primary.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters expressed dissatisfaction with how the state has handled this issue and stressed that Maryland needs to be held accountable. He indicated that the RNC is already pursuing legal action over the failure to address voter roll concerns. The upcoming primary election in Maryland is set for June 23, with mail-in ballot requests due by June 16.
