Mail-in voting has become one of the biggest debates in American politics. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, about 30% of all votes in the 2024 general election were cast by mail. In at least 14 states and Washington D.C., mail ballots made up more than a third of the total votes and Donald Trump actually won half of those states, many run by Republican governors or secretaries of state.
Yet, Trump has called for a nationwide ban on mail-in voting, describing it as “corrupt” and even suggesting he might issue an executive order to eliminate it ahead of the 2026 midterms. He has argued without evidence that mail ballots open the door to widespread fraud.
Republicans themselves are split on the issue. Some leaders echo Trump’s concerns about election integrity but stop short of supporting an outright ban. They worry about legal limits, the impact on military voters stationed overseas, and the fact that mail voting is popular in many Republican strongholds.
- Michigan GOP leaders like Bryan Posthumus admit reforms are needed but oppose eliminating the system entirely, saying, “It should be easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
- Vermont’s GOP chair Paul Dame pointed out that banning mail ballots would disenfranchise service members and argued the real issue is outdated voter rolls, not the practice itself.
- South Dakota Republicans raised similar concerns, emphasizing that soldiers risking their lives deserve easy access to ballots.
Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing back strongly. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said any federal attempt to ban vote-by-mail will be “dead on arrival” in the Senate.
It’s also important to note that there is little evidence of widespread fraud. Even conservative watchdog groups report only a small number of confirmed election fraud cases between 2020 and 2025, covering all voting methods not just mail ballots. Election officials already use strict verification measures before counting mailed votes.
Still, Trump has made “election integrity” one of his signature issues. His calls to “BAN MAIL-IN VOTING” continue to energize his base, even as many Republican officials privately worry about losing a system that helps their own voters, especially in states where absentee voting is a long tradition.
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