Controversy
Status:Open
Will Trump Ban US States From Using Mail-In Ballots by the 2026 Midterm Elections?
UNLIKELYLIKELY
Claims
Michael Schwarz"[Trump] might soon announce a long-promised executive order on the subject."Oct 24, 2025
Brennan Center"While the attorney general does not have the authority to prevent states from following their own laws for counting ballots, this command sets up a potential conflict between the federal government and the states over the counting of ballots in the days after Election Day."Oct 07, 2025
Richard H. Pildes“The President has no power constitutionally to dictate to states the manner in which they conduct national elections."Dec 23, 2025
David Becker"The President plays literally no role in elections, and that's by design of the founders."Aug 18, 2025
James Gardner“If and when [Congress bans mail-in voting], the president would have the power to enforce it.”Aug 18, 2025
Lisa Kashinsky"Republicans are making mail-in voting a core part of their midterm battle plans."Dec 23, 2025
Donald Trump"[Republicans] are going to do everything possible [to] get rid of mail-in ballots."Dec 23, 2025
Protect Democracy"The president does not have any legal authority over the administration of mail voting."Oct 01, 2025
Richard Hasen"[Trump] would need the cooperation of Congress [to ban mail-in ballots], which I think he'd be unlikely to get to have any kind of federal interference with how the midterm elections will be run."Aug 18, 2025
Marc Elias"[Trump's mail-in ballot ban] would violate the Constitution and is a major step to prevent free and fair elections."Aug 19, 2025
Michael S. Kang"The president does not have direct executive power over elections to ban mail voting."Aug 21, 2025
Karoline Leavitt“The White House is working on an executive order to strengthen our elections in this country, and to ensure that there cannot be blatant fraud, as we’ve seen in California, with their universal mail-in voting system."Nov 20, 2025
Debra Cleaver“There is no good-faith reason to limit vote-by-mail access, reject ballots without postmarks, or refuse to count ballots that arrive after Election Day."Mar 26, 2025
Rick Hasen"State courts have upheld vote-by-mail programs expanded during the pandemic."Dec 17, 2025
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0