In a recent social media post, former President Donald Trump said he plans to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in voting,” calling them“highly inaccurate, very expensive, and seriously controversial.” He went on to attack voting machines, arguing that “watermark paper” ballots are more trustworthy. Trump made these comments after reporting a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supposedly doubts the honesty of elections that use mail-in ballots. This revelation has sparked new arguments about the role of mail-in voting in the U.S.
The Legal Landscape of Mail-In Voting
The U.S. Constitution lets states set the “times, places, and manner” of elections. Because of this, any federal push to ban mail-in voting would likely face strong court challenges. Adrian Fontes, Arizona’s Secretary of State, has already said he would fight such an executive order in court, insisting the state is in charge of how elections are run.
The Role of Mail-In Voting in Modern Elections
Mail-in voting is now a key part of how campaigns run in the United States. Research indicates that fraud with these ballots is nearly non-existent. States use strong protections like comparing signatures and adding tracking codes to every envelope. Plus, countries like Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom already use some level of postal voting, which counters the claim by some U.S. leaders that the practice is unheard of outside the nation.
Political Implications and Public Perception
The critique of mail-in voting fits a pattern of questioning that some leaders use to cast doubt on recent contests. When ballots sent through the mail are labeled a fraud risk, it reaches voters already doubtful of how our elections work. Yet this message could unintentionally shut out military members stationed overseas and older citizens who depend on voting by mail, which could lower turnout when it counts the most.
International Views on Mail Voting
Trump says Putin doubts mail ballots, but does anyone notice that Russia uses mail voting too? When Russia talks mail-in voting, skepticism doesn’t seem to stop the practice. It makes you wonder whether the Trump critique is a genuine worry or just a hit badge.
Final Thoughts
Mail-in voting isn’t just a legal issue; it’s a jigsaw puzzle of rules, how ballots get there, and who wants or doesn’t want it. Trump says scrap it, but that can’t happen overnight without checking the Constitution and what it means to the folks who might stay home without a mail envelope. With the 2026 midterms on the calendar, expect the mail ballot heat to turn up. How voters view it now could change the way candidates frame their whole campaign.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/trump-voting-mail-ballots-putin-analysis
