Trump Cast Florida Mail Ballot While Campaigning to Curb Mail‑In Voting
CBS reports that President Donald Trump voted by mail in this month’s special election for Florida House District 87, even as he continues to call mail-in voting 'cheating' and urges Congress to restrict it through his SAVE America Act. Palm Beach County elections records show Trump, who was at Mar‑a‑Lago while early in‑person voting was available, requested a mail ballot on Saturday, March 14; it was received the next day and counted in Tuesday’s election, where he had endorsed Republican candidate Jon Maples. Barely a week later, at an anti‑crime event in Memphis, Trump declared, 'Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating,' and on Truth Social he vowed to 'lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS,' blaming them for his 2020 loss despite winning under similar rules in 2024. The piece notes that Trump also voted by mail in 2020 and has repeatedly alleged, without presenting evidence, that mail voting is inherently rife with fraud. The juxtaposition is fueling criticism and debate online over whether his personal use of mail ballots undercuts his push for tighter national rules on absentee and mail voting.
📌 Key Facts
- Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections records show Trump requested a mail ballot on March 14, it was received March 15, and his vote was counted in the Florida House District 87 special election.
- Trump was at his Palm Beach estate while early in‑person voting was available but still chose to vote by mail.
- At a Memphis anti‑crime meeting about a week later, Trump said 'Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating,' and he is pressing Congress to pass the SAVE America Act to add voter‑ID requirements and limit mail‑in voting.
- CBS notes Trump also requested a mail ballot in 2020 and has repeatedly, without evidence, claimed mail voting is responsible for his 2020 defeat.
📊 Relevant Data
The rate of voter fraud in US elections is extremely low, with the percentage of fraudulent votes in Arizona over the last 25 years being 0.0000845%.
How widespread is election fraud in the United States? Not very — Brookings Institution
In Michigan's 2024 election, there were 15 probable cases of non-citizen voting out of approximately 5.5 million votes cast, equating to a rate of about 0.00027%.
Report: Michigan Review Finds 15 Likely Non-Citizens Voted in 2024 — Dave Bondy Reporting
In 2023, 28% of Black adult US citizens did not have a driver’s license with their current name and/or address, compared to 18% of White adult US citizens; additionally, 18% of Black adults lacked any driver’s license, compared to 5% of White adults.
Who Lacks ID in America Today? An Exploration of Voter ID Access in the United States — Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, University of Maryland
In 2023, 27% of Hispanic adult US citizens did not have a driver’s license with their current name and/or address, and 15% lacked any driver’s license.
Who Lacks ID in America Today? An Exploration of Voter ID Access in the United States — Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, University of Maryland
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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