Trump Sparks Controversy With Plan to End Mail-In Voting
Historic Voting System Faces Unprecedented Threat
Donald Trump has ignited a political firestorm by announcing plans to eliminate mail-in voting—a system used in U.S. elections since the Civil War. Critics immediately called the proposal “blatantly unconstitutional,” stressing that election rules are controlled by states, not the president.
Trump’s Bold Announcement
On August 18, while positioning himself as a potential mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump posted on Truth Social, declaring his intent to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots” and scrap electronic voting machines. He claimed paper ballots with watermarks would ensure “accurate results,” arguing that current voting machines are “highly inaccurate” and “very expensive.”
A Brief History of Mail-In Voting
Absentee and mail-in ballots have been part of U.S. elections since 1864, originally created for soldiers during the Civil War. The method became particularly 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 court rulings confirmed mail-in voting is secure and reliable.
Caps-Lock Claims and False Allegations
In his post, Trump frequently used full caps to claim mail-in ballots enable “MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD” and insisted that “ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST” while the system remains. He vowed to sign an executive order to eliminate mail-in voting before the 2026 midterms, despite the fact that other democracies—including Canada, the UK, Germany, and Australia—also rely on the practice.
Expert Pushback
Legal and election experts quickly condemned Trump’s plan. Democracy Docket tweeted: “The Constitution grants states, not the president, the primary authority to regulate elections.” Attorney Joyce White Vance emphasized: “Each state runs its own election.”
The White House Responds
A White House spokesperson defended Trump, accusing Democrats of “eroding faith in elections with reckless laws” and highlighting his push for stricter voter ID requirements. The statement framed Trump’s initiative as an effort to “restore the integrity of our elections” by tightening ballot rules and curbing what his team called “lax and incompetent voting laws.”
A Brewing Constitutional Battle
As Trump pushes his plan and critics unite against it, the debate over mail-in voting is poised to intensify. The clash underscores not just partisan divides, but also fundamental questions about presidential power and the future of American democracy.