President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has called on top Republicans to drop litigation seeking to curtail aspects of mail balloting now that Donald Trump has begun to embrace the method. Trump, who previously claimed voting by mail was riddled with fraud, has now launched a program to encourage mail voting for the 2024 election. Despite the shift in rhetoric, the Republican National Committee, under Trump’s control, has sued or joined lawsuits seeking to limit certain aspects of mail voting in various states, including Nevada. Biden’s campaign manager has urged Trump to demand the RNC and his allies drop these lawsuits if he is serious about supporting mail voting.
Republicans have defended their lawsuits as efforts to make mail voting more secure, arguing that they support mail voting while also advocating for safeguards. In challenges in Nevada, they have raised concerns about the state’s procedures for counting mail ballots received after Election Day, suggesting they could open the door to fraud. The RNC and the Trump campaign have emphasized the importance of making mail voting secure, dismissing criticism from Democrats and accusing them of compromising the integrity of the election system. They have called for an end to what they describe as the left’s “assault” on the foundation of the election system.
The Biden campaign highlighted the contradiction between Trump’s newfound support for mail voting and the RNC’s continued legal challenges against it. In the weeks leading up to Trump’s announcement of a “Swamp the Vote” campaign to promote mail voting, the RNC filed lawsuits in Nevada targeting the acceptance of ballots arriving after Election Day and those lacking a postmark. Similar litigation has been pursued in other states, including Mississippi, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as part of the Republicans’ efforts to impose restrictions and safeguards on mail balloting.
Trump’s false claims about mail ballots were central to his baseless allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 election, which contributed to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Following these events, Republicans have implemented new restrictions on mail balloting in several states, leading to a decline in mail ballot usage among GOP voters. Despite this, Trump has taken direct control of the RNC and appointed loyalists to key positions, maintaining his grip on the party. While Trump now espouses mail balloting, he continues to perpetuate falsehoods about mail ballot fraud costing him the 2020 election against Joe Biden.
The shift in Trump’s stance on mail voting reflects a broader acknowledgment within the Republican Party of the importance of mail balloting as a voting option. Prior to Trump’s attacks on the method, GOP voters had similar rates of mail ballot usage as Democrats, but this has changed post-2020 election. Many Republican operatives have expressed frustration with Trump’s criticism of mail balloting, as early voting is often seen as advantageous for campaigns. Trump’s attempts to encourage mail voting are seen as contradictory given his continued false claims about fraud in the 2020 election. The debate surrounding mail voting and its security measures continues to be a contentious issue between the two major political parties as the 2024 election approaches.
