Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked mail-in voting as vulnerable to fraud, but he recently used the method himself in Florida. The president returned a Republican primary ballot by mail just days before voters headed to the polls, according to voting records obtained by Politico.
Donald Trump’s latest Florida mail ballot comes amid his push for tougher national voting rules
Palm Beach County records show Donald Trump returned his Republican ballot on August 13, ahead of Florida’s primary. One contest on the ballot features Rep. Byron Donalds, whom Trump endorsed in the governor’s race and who has led polling in the contest. The move stands out because the president has spent years railing against expanded mail voting. During a speech last month, he described the practice as “inherently corrupt,” while continuing to push restrictions that would sharply limit its use.
The White House, however, says Trump’s ballot falls within the exceptions his administration supports. Spokesperson Olivia Wales told Politico that the SAVE America Act would allow mail voting for people dealing with “illness, disability, military, or travel.” She argued that the president qualifies because he lives in Palm Beach but spends much of his time at the White House in Washington, D.C., calling the matter a “non-story.”
Trump’s broader position remains considerably tougher. The SAVE America Act, which he has promoted for months, would largely restrict voting by mail while requiring proof of US citizenship in person when voters register. The president renewed that push Monday night in a post on Truth Social.
Using India as an example, Trump cited comments he said Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar made to his administration about American elections. The politician pointed to India’s voter-identification system and the small share of ballots cast by mail there, then demanded that Congress pass the legislation “now!”
The POTUS has also kept pushing for more control over how federal elections are run. His administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift a federal judge’s nationwide block on his executive order restricting mail voting ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has also signaled that he could declare a national security emergency in an effort to gain greater control over elections.
