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.
