Former President Donald Trump cast a mail-in ballot last week to participate in the Republican primary in Florida, according to reports, despite his continued public criticism of the voting method. Trump has frequently asserted that mail-in voting is insecure and leads to widespread election fraud.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales described the matter as a "non-story" and reiterated Trump's support for his proposed SAVE America Act, which would require voters to prove citizenship and present photo identification. Wales stated that the act includes exceptions for mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military service, or travel, but argued against universal mail-in voting due to its susceptibility to fraud.
Trump, a resident of Palm Beach, Florida, has voted by mail in that county multiple times in recent years, including in 2020 and for a special election earlier this year, according to Politico, which cited county voting records. He requested his ballot in July and returned it on Thursday. He has also used social media to advocate for stricter voting laws, referencing India's election system as an example.
Despite his claims of rampant cheating and calls to end "crooked mail-in ballots," there is no evidence of widespread fraud associated with either in-person or mail-in voting. Trump lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden during a period when mail-in voting increased due to the pandemic. He has previously described mail-in voting as "corrupt as hell" and blamed Democrats for supporting it to facilitate cheating.
In the past, Trump has offered explanations for his own use of mail-in ballots, stating it is acceptable for those who cannot vote in person due to illness, disability, or, in his case, residing primarily at the White House while needing to vote in Florida.