President Donald Trump plans to use his office to try to get rid of mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 elections for the House of Representatives and Senate. Trump stated in a social media post this week: "mail-in ballots are corrupt" and susceptible to voter fraud, so "an executive order is being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots." During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday, Trump also showed a political motivation, saying that mail-in voting is "the only way" Democrats "can get elected".

Mail-in ballots, in part, helped Trump secure his 2024 victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. But he has long claimed, without proof, that he lost the 2020 election due to voter fraud perpetrated through mail-in ballots and voting machines. Mail-in voting allows voters to cast their ballots at home and then send them in to be counted, instead of going in person to cast a ballot at a polling place. Eight states and Washington, DC, allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington state. Of those, only two - Nevada and Utah - went to Trump in 2024. In most other states, voters can request at-home ballots and then cast their "absentee votes" either through the post or special dropboxes.

Mail-in ballots became more popular during the 2020 election when many voters were homebound because of the pandemic. Altogether, 43% of votes cast in that election were on mailed ballots, compared to 30% in 2024, election data shows. The phrase "voting machines" usually refers to devices that directly record a vote at the polling place. Typically a voter will make their choices on a touchscreen, and their votes will then be stored on a computer and also recorded in a paper trail in case of a recount or audit. These machines are used in 10 states alongside other methods.

Key Indicators

Signals a clear trend or major development in US electoral politics.
The significance of this issue for future elections and the President's role in election regulation.

Regional Perspective

President Trump's specific declaration about issuing an executive order to ban mail-in voting indicates an attempt to change widespread voting practices, which could have significant implications for how federal elections are conducted in the future.

Immediate Implications

Potential legal and political challenges to implementing such an executive order.
Increased scrutiny of mail-in voting mechanisms and potential challenges to election outcomes.

Analysis

The US Constitution vests the power to regulate elections primarily with the states, not the President. Experts argue that the President lacks the legal authority to enforce this change on states via executive order, and any attempt to do so would face significant legal hurdles. Trump's statements, which some have called "wrong and dangerous," highlight ongoing tensions surrounding election integrity and the federal government's role in election regulation.