President Donald Trump has voted by mail in the Florida Republican primary elections, according to local electoral records, despite his ongoing criticism of the mail-in voting process, which he has frequently associated with allegations of fraud.
Records from Palm Beach indicate that Trump requested his ballot at the end of July, which was returned on August 13. This is not the first instance of Trump voting by mail in his home state; he previously voted in a local election in Palm Beach earlier this year. Notably, reports suggest that Trump has voted by mail at least three times, including during the 2020 elections.
Trump’s Ongoing Critique of Mail-in Voting
Trump continues to assert that he won the 2020 elections, despite the lack of evidence to support his claims. This year, he has repeatedly urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a measure that mandates identification and proof of citizenship for federal elections. According to White House spokesperson Olivia Wales, “The SAVE America Act includes common-sense exceptions for Americans to vote by mail due to illness, disability, military service, or travel; however, universal mail-in voting should be prohibited due to its high vulnerability to fraud.”
Wales added, “As everyone knows, the president is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but he primarily resides at the White House in Washington, D.C. This is not news.” Meanwhile, the Trump administration is attempting to persuade the Supreme Court to reinstate a presidential order regarding mail-in voting ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November, after a federal appeals court blocked the decree earlier this year.
Trump has consistently voiced his opposition to mail-in voting, claiming, “Mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt,” during a speech in July.
Florida Republicans Maintain Mail-in Voting Despite Trump’s Opposition
Despite holding a qualified majority in Florida’s Legislature, Republicans have resisted Trump’s calls to strictly limit mail-in voting eligibility. Florida has an existing law that allows any registered voter to request a mail-in ballot. Over recent years, Governor Ron DeSantis and legislators have introduced restrictions aimed at combating what they term “ballot harvesting,” which limits who can collect and submit mail-in ballots for others.
The state has also mandated that voters renew their mail-in ballot requests every two years and has implemented additional identification requirements for mail-in voting.
Trump’s Candidate Favored in Florida GOP Primaries
The Republican primaries in Florida feature a crowded field for the gubernatorial race, including Trump-backed Congressman Byron Donalds, who is seen as a frontrunner. However, he faces competition from Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner, and James Fishback, an investor and vocal critic of Donalds who has adopted a far-right rhetoric on issues including Israel.
The winner of the Republican primaries is likely to be the overwhelming favorite in the November gubernatorial election, given the Republican dominance in the state.
