Trump expresses concerns over mail voting, citing potential for fraudulent activity.
In a move that could reshape the electoral landscape, President Donald Trump is planning to sign an executive order this Thursday, aiming to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines in the United States ahead of next year's midterm elections.
Trump's obsession with mail-in voting is not new, skyrocketing after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, an election that saw an expansion of mail-in voting to ensure voter safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The President has claimed, without evidence, that voting machines are "highly inaccurate," more expensive than paper ballots, and allow Democrats to commit fraud. However, research has consistently shown that manual counting of ballots is less accurate and more expensive than the use of automatic tabulators.
The President's statements on election issues should be taken seriously, but it's important to note that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to regulate federal elections. Any presidential executive order regarding elections could face legal challenges.
The 2020 elections saw a significant skew in mail-in voting, with Democrats being more likely to vote by mail than Republicans. This gap has further widened in recent elections, as Republican-led states have approved stricter restrictions on this voting method.
Trump's plan could potentially disrupt this trend, as most American voters already vote with paper ballots. However, states would likely have to pass new laws or voting plans before elections if the executive order is issued.
The President's move is not just about mail-in voting. He has also ordered Texas Republicans to launch an unprecedented mid-term redistricting campaign. Since President Trump's resignation, the state of Texas has redrawn its congressional districts through a controversial and unusual redistricting effort aimed at giving Republicans up to five additional seats in the U.S. House for the 2026 midterm elections. Similar initiatives are being pursued by both parties in other states, including Democrats in California.
These partisan redistricting efforts outside the normal census cycle have sparked concerns that they may further deepen political polarization and undermine democratic fairness in the U.S. Governor Gavin Newsom has initiated a similar action to secure new Democratic seats in California.
Trump's actions could lay the groundwork for claiming a Republican defeat in the midterm elections is illegitimate. It's crucial to remember that the percentage of fraud cases associated with mail-in ballots is extremely low, while voting machine malfunctions are generally minimal.
Trump has also falsely claimed that the United States is the only country to use mail-in voting. In reality, 34 other countries allow it, including Australia, the UK, and Germany.
Trump's latest statements on election issues should be met with scrutiny and a commitment to upholding the democratic principles that underpin the electoral process in the United States. The potential impact of his executive order remains to be seen, but the implications for the future of American democracy are significant.
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