President Trump said Monday he will lead a “movement” to scrap mail-in ballots and certain voting machines from U.S. elections, saying paper ballots with watermarks are more reliable. Here’s what you need to know about Trump’s election reform pledge:
The executive order promise
Trump announces comprehensive voting system overhaul:
- Trump said effort would begin with executive order to bring “honesty” to 2026 midterm elections
- Lengthy Truth Social post outlined plans to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines
- “I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we’re at it, Highly ’Inaccurate,’ Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES”
- Trump didn’t elaborate on specific details his executive order will contain
The federal authority claim
President asserts control over state election administration:
- “Remember, the States are merely an ’agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes”
- Claims states “must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do”
- Assertion challenges traditional state control over election administration
- Position reverses historical Republican resistance to federal election oversight
The Putin meeting connection
Russian leader’s comments influence Trump’s election stance:
- Trump criticized mail-in ballots days after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin
- After summit, Trump told Fox News that Putin referenced potential fraud in 2020 election
- “He said, ’Your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting,’” Trump reported Putin saying
- Comments came shortly before Trump’s announcement about election reform movement
The paper ballot preference
Trump touts watermarked paper as superior alternative:
- Wants voters to put election choices “directly on paper and in person”
- Claims voting machines “cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper”
- Says paper ballots are “faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election”
- Argues watermarked paper ballots more reliable than electronic systems
The mail-in ballot statistics
Current usage shows significant portion of electorate votes by mail:
- Nearly a third of voters, 30.3%, cast ballots by mail in 2024 election according to U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- Down from high of 43% during 2020 election but above pre-pandemic levels
- Many states loosened election rules during COVID-19 pandemic to allow mail-in voting instead of long Election Day lines
- Trump’s 2020 election loss occurred during peak mail-in voting period
The fraud allegations history
Trump’s claims stem from disputed 2020 election results:
- Trump’s antipathy for mail-in ballots stems from his 2020 election loss during pandemic
- Railed against procedures as vulnerable to fraud even before 2020 election
- Blamed defeat in part on unproven chicanery involving voting machines
- Trump’s attorney general William Barr said fraud suspicions could not be proven
The Democratic opposition expected
Any federal takeover attempt will face pushback:
- Attempt by Trump to have bigger say over vote-counting will meet Democratic resistance
- Democrats fear president will try to fix midterms in his favor to retain GOP majorities in Congress
- Republicans historically resisted Democratic attempts to give federal government more election control
- Role reversal from traditional party positions on federal versus state election authority
The GOP internal tensions
Some Republicans previously opposed Trump’s mail ballot criticism:
- Some GOP members chafed at Trump’s screed against mail ballots
- Said anti-mail ballot messaging depressed turnout among their own voters
- Internal party tensions over strategy that may hurt Republican electoral prospects
- Balancing Trump’s preferences with practical electoral considerations
The timing and Election Night concerns
Trump wants results determined quickly on Election Day:
- Complained for years that mail-in votes make it difficult to tell who won races on Election Night
- Believes Democrats use mail-in ballots to tilt elections in their favor
- “Democrats are virtually Unelectable without using this completely disproven Mail-In SCAM”
- March executive order required votes counted by Election Day as designated by federal government
The international model reference
Previous executive order cited other developed countries:
- Trump signed executive order in March requiring states to copy practices in other developed countries
- Specifically cited widespread use of paper ballots in other nations
- Required all votes counted by Election Day as designated by federal government
- Positioned U.S. election changes as following international best practices
Read more:
• Trump pledges to rid U.S. of mail-in votes, voting machines, deeming it ’scam’
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
