President Donald Trump announced Monday, August 18, his intention to eliminate mail-in voting and voting machines nationwide ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, despite constitutional limitations on presidential authority over state election laws. Trump declared he would sign an executive order to ban what he characterized as corrupt voting methods, though legal experts indicate such federal intervention would likely face significant court challenges.
During an Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump indicated his administration was preparing comprehensive election changes. Trump stated, “We’re going to start with an executive order that’s being written right now by the best lawyers.”
The President argued that mail-in voting represents the primary method by which Democrats maintain electoral success, suggesting that eliminating such voting would significantly impact their ability to win elections. Trump claimed that states function merely as federal agents in vote counting and must comply with presidential directives regarding election administration.
Constitutional scholars disputed Trump’s interpretation of federal election authority. UCLA election law professor Rick Hasen characterized Trump’s constitutional understanding as both incorrect and dangerous, noting that the Constitution provides no presidential control over federal elections. The Constitution grants states authority to establish election procedures, with Congress holding power to modify such regulations rather than the executive branch.
Trump’s renewed opposition to mail-in voting creates tension within Republican ranks, as the party invested heavily in promoting such voting methods during the 2024 election cycle. Republican organizations spent tens of millions encouraging voters to utilize mail ballots after Trump’s previous criticism had discouraged GOP participation in mail voting during earlier elections.
The strategy proved effective in several key states during 2024. In Pennsylvania, Republican mail ballot participation increased from 25 percent in 2020 to 32 percent in 2024, contributing to Trump’s state victory. North Carolina Republicans actually exceeded Democratic mail voting numbers in 2024, reversing a substantial Democratic advantage from the previous presidential election.
Wisconsin exemplifies the historical significance of mail voting practices Trump seeks to eliminate. The state first permitted absentee voting during the Civil War in 1862, allowing soldiers to vote remotely. After temporary repeal, lawmakers reinstated absentee voting in 1915 for residents unable to reach polling locations, expanding it in 1999 to allow mail voting without specific justification.
In Wisconsin’s 2024 election, nearly 602,000 residents cast mail ballots while Trump won the state. Eliminating such voting would affect practices used for over a century, including voting machines permitted since 1901 and electronic systems authorized since 1979. Wisconsin Elections Commission Republican member Don Millis suggested that conducting elections without mail voting or tabulation machines would extend vote counting by weeks.
Trump’s claims about international voting practices proved inaccurate. He initially asserted that the United States represented the only country utilizing mail-in voting, later acknowledging he might be incorrect. Research by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance identified 34 countries permitting mail voting, with 12 nations allowing all voters to cast mail ballots, including Canada, Germany and South Korea.
The President’s announcement followed discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their August 15 meeting in Alaska. Trump reported that Putin characterized mail voting as preventing honest elections and claimed no other countries employed such methods, despite Russia itself utilizing mail voting procedures.
Mail voting represented approximately 30 percent of all ballots cast nationwide in 2024, totaling 46.8 million votes according to Census Bureau data. This figure, while substantial, represented a decrease from 43 percent during the 2020 pandemic election. Currently, 36 states offer some form of no-excuse mail voting, with eight states conducting elections entirely through mail systems.
Election security experts dismissed Trump’s fraud allegations regarding mail voting. The system includes multiple safeguards including signature verification, ballot tracking through barcodes, and audit procedures. Christopher Krebs, former director of the nation’s cybersecurity agency, previously described the 2020 election as the most secure in American history.
Republican congressional members from Wisconsin showed mixed reactions to Trump’s proposal. Representative Bryan Steil expressed willingness to collaborate on election integrity measures, while Representative Derrick Van Orden defended Trump’s anti-fraud motivations. The Republican Party of Wisconsin avoided direct commentary on the proposal while emphasizing their commitment to secure elections.