Trump Faces Backlash Over Plan to Eliminate Mail-In Voting
A Longstanding Process Under Threat
Donald Trump has ignited fresh controversy by announcing plans to end mail-in voting, a system in place since the Civil W*r. Critics immediately called the move “blatantly unconstitutional,” pointing out that election laws fall under state authority, not presidential power.
Trump’s Announcement
On August 18, while also trying to position himself as a peace broker in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump posted on Truth Social. He declared his intention to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots” and scrap electronic voting machines. He argued that paper ballots with watermarks would ensure accurate results, claiming voting machines are “highly inaccurate” and “very expensive.”
The History of Mail-In Voting
Absentee and mail-in ballots have been part of U.S. elections since 1864, first introduced for soldiers during the Civil W*r. The process became especially significant in 2020, when millions of Americans voted by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite Trump’s loss in that election, multiple studies and courts have confirmed mail-in voting is secure and reliable.