President Trump is intensifying his opposition to mail-in voting as he suggests banning certain practices through executive orders.
This new push comes as Trump encourages Republicans to focus on redistricting in certain states to secure and potentially increase their majority in the House of Representatives.
He views mail-in voting as a method that disproportionately benefits Democrats, citing his loss to President Biden in the 2020 election, which he attributes to mail ballots.
“If mail-in voting is allowed, it’s likely many Democrats will win elections. This relates to the voters in the districts, and Republicans need to be strategic,” Trump remarked during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who brought up the topic.
However, whether a ban on mail-in voting would actually aid Republicans remains a contentious issue within the party.
Some believe that mail-in voting could actually serve their interests.
“I don’t think this is beneficial for Republicans,” suggested one party operative. “We’ve made significant strides in restoring voter confidence in elections over the past few years.”
“I’m not discussing this with anyone right now,” the operative added, hinting at internal divisions.
Publicly, many Republicans back Trump’s stance.
“President Trump is spot on; we do need secure elections,” stated the Republican National Committee.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) expressed her strong support for Trump’s initiative on social media, claiming that ongoing fraudulent practices have tainted elections for decades and urging a reversal to safeguard America.
Despite the controversies, mail-in voting was prevalent in the 2024 election where Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris.
In that election cycle, Republicans worked to combat skepticism among their voters about mail-in ballots. Trump and the party initiated a significant Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign titled “Swamp the Vote USA.”
“Republicans must win. They are undermining our country, and we’ll use every tool available to defeat Democrats,” Trump said during the campaign launch. “No matter how you vote—absentee, by mail, in person on Election Day—we ensure your vote is safe and counted. We must counteract radical Democrats with extensive voting participation.”
When Republicans made significant gains across the nation, their strategy seemed to pay off. Data from the University of Florida’s Election Institute indicated an increase in registered Republican mail-in voters in Pennsylvania, from 24% to 33% between 2020 and 2024.
Moreover, states like Florida have seen their Republican leaders promote mail-in voting. Over three million voters in Florida utilized mail-in ballots last year, contributing to Trump’s wider victory margin in the state compared to 2020.
“Promoting mail-in voting and restoring trust in the election process has proven effective,” said the unnamed GOP operative. “But I don’t know how we’d backtrack on this.”
When asked about Trump’s recent push to ban mail-in voting practices, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remarked that Trump might be referring to states that indiscriminately send ballots to voters.
“What he likely means is about vote-by-mail practices, particularly in states like California and Nevada, which just distribute ballots without request,” DeSantis explained, noting Florida’s requirement for voters to request mail ballots.
It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first executive order Trump has issued targeting mail-in voting.
In March, he mandated that states collect proof of citizenship for voter registration. This order also instructed the Attorney General to challenge states that count absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day, although many states have procedures for such ballots as long as they are postmarked by the election day.
The order faced legal challenges; in June, a judge ruled that Trump lacked the authority to intervene in state election laws.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that states are obligated to act as “agents” of the federal government concerning vote counting.
“States must adhere to federal directives for the greater good, as I represent our nation as President,” he wrote.
Interestingly, data indicates a decline in mail-in voting following the pandemic. According to statistics from the U.S. Election Assistance Committee, mail-in voting constituted 30.3% of voter turnout in last year’s elections, down from 43% in 2020. Although, it was still higher than the levels seen before the pandemic.
A GOP operative voiced concerns that a ban on mail-in voting could negatively affect both Republicans and Democrats, while also expressing skepticism about the feasibility of Trump’s proposed ban.
“Trump has made some compelling points, and sometimes the way he articulates them prompts people to consider where they stand,” they commented. “I don’t know how many Republicans are truly on board with this.”
