According to the US 'Politico' website, local time on August 17th, U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have completed his vote in a Republican primary election in Florida by mailing his ballot.
Palm Beach County election records show that Trump applied for postal ballots at the end of July and returned them on August 13. This is not the first time Trump has used postal ballots in Florida. Earlier this year, he also voted via postal ballot in a special election held in Palm Beach County.
This situation has attracted attention because Trump has long been fierce in criticizing mail voting and has repeatedly claimed that this method of voting is prone to fraud.
In July this year, Trump even stated in an election-related speech that “mailing ballots is essentially corruption.”
Trump has also repeatedly urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act this year. The act requires the use of ID cards with photographs in federal elections, and requires voters to provide written proof of their citizenship.
The Trump administration is also seeking to get the U.S. Supreme Court to allow an executive order that restricts mail voting to take effect before this year’s midterm elections. This executive order had previously been blocked by the Federal appeals Court.
However, the Trump administration stated that Trump’s use of mail ballots does not contradict his stance.
White House spokesperson Olivia Walters stated that the 'Save America Act' does not prohibit the use of mail ballots in special circumstances such as illness, disability, military service, or travel. However, it should not allow for widespread use of mail voting, as this method is ‘highly susceptible to fraud.’
She also stated that Trump is a resident of Palm Beach, Florida, and votes in that state. However, he primarily lives at the White House in Washington D.C. Therefore, voting by mail “is not really news at all”.
Florida’s Republican primary elections are currently underway. The race for the governor’s position is highly competitive among Republicans. Byron Donalds, a federal representative supported by Trump, is considered the frontrunner. However, other candidates include Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner, and investor James Fishback.
Trump once claimed that he had won the 2020 presidential election, and has since made electoral integrity and voting methods political issues.
Although the Republican Party currently has an absolute majority in the Florida Legislature, the state did not completely cancel or significantly restrict mail voting as Trump requested.
Florida’s current laws allow all eligible registered voters to apply for postal ballots. In recent years, the state has strengthened regulations by restricting “ballot collection,” such as limiting the collection and delivery of ballots on behalf of others. Additionally, voters are required to apply for postal voting every two years, and additional identity verification requirements have been introduced.
Therefore, Trump's use of mail voting once again highlights the political controversy surrounding mail voting in the United States. Trump and his supporters believe that there is a risk of fraud in mail voting. However, Republican-controlled states like Florida have not completely abolished this system, and Trump himself still uses this method of voting.
