Trump Votes by Mail in Florida Despite Calling the Method ‘Cheating’
Palm Beach County records show President Donald Trump submitted a mail ballot in a Florida special election. He has publicly denounced mail voting as fraudulent and repeatedly called the practice “cheating.”
Ballot records and delivery
The county list indicates the ballot was received and counted by election officials. The records do not reveal how the ballot reached election staff.
Trump is a registered voter in Palm Beach. He was in Palm Beach over the weekend while early voting ran through Sunday.
Past mail voting and verification
This is not the first time Trump used a mail ballot while criticizing the method. In 2020, reporting showed his ballot was hand-delivered by a third party.
States verify mail ballots differently. Many states compare signatures to voter registration files.
Policy push: the SAVE America Act
Trump has promoted the SAVE America Act as an elections overhaul. The bill would add voter ID and documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements for federal elections.
The proposal would require voters to submit photocopies of photo IDs with some ballots. It would not entirely eliminate mail voting.
The measure currently lacks enough Senate support to clear procedural hurdles.
White House response
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said there are commonsense exceptions for illness, disability, military duty, and travel. She noted the president is a Palm Beach resident who spends much time at the White House.
Political context in Florida
Tuesday’s special elections fill several vacant state legislative seats. One contest covers the district that includes Mar-a-Lago.
Filmogaz.com reported Trump carried that district by about 11 percentage points in the 2024 presidential race. He endorsed Republican Jon Maples against Democrat Emily Gregory.
Claims about fraud and international comparisons
Trump has blamed expanded mail voting in 2020 for his electoral loss, despite no evidence of widespread fraud. He has repeatedly criticized mail voting in public remarks.
His statement that the U.S. is the only country using mail ballots is incorrect. At least 32 countries permit some form of voting by mail, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
Trends in special elections
Since the start of Trump’s second term, Democrats have flipped nine state legislative seats in special elections. They also made notable gains last year in New Jersey and Virginia.
The episode underscores a political contradiction. The president votes by mail in Florida while continuing to label the process “cheating.”
