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Can Trump really ban mail-in voting?

August 19, 2025

President Donald Trump is planning an executive order to eliminate mail-in ballots before the 2026 congressional elections, claiming they are "corrupt" despite using them to help secure his own 2024 victory. Trump has consistently alleged without evidence that mail-in voting enabled fraud in the 2020 election, despite the practice being common in many states with varying political leanings. Constitutional experts argue the president lacks authority to dictate how states conduct elections, with UCLA election law professor Rick Hasen calling Trump's assertion of presidential control over federal elections "wrong and dangerous.

Who is affected

  • American voters across all states who use mail-in voting
  • Voters in the eight states and Washington, DC that conduct elections entirely by mail
  • Democratic and Republican voters who utilize mail-in ballots
  • State election officials responsible for administering elections
  • Voters in key swing states like North Carolina, Arizona, and Pennsylvania

What action is being taken

  • An executive order is currently being drafted by lawyers to end mail-in ballots
  • Trump is publicly claiming mail-in voting is "corrupt" and politically benefits Democrats
  • Trump is asserting presidential authority over how states administer federal elections
  • Constitutional experts are publicly challenging Trump's legal authority to make such changes

Why it matters

  • The Constitution assigns election administration to state legislatures, not the president
  • Mail-in voting is used by millions of Americans, with 30% of votes cast this way in 2024
  • Both Republican and Democratic voters benefit from mail-in voting options
  • The proposed action would significantly change how elections are conducted in multiple states
  • Mail-in voting has been part of American elections since the 19th century
  • The order would affect established voting systems in eight states that conduct elections entirely by mail

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC

Can Trump really ban mail-in voting?