Trump casts mail-in ballot in Florida primary
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Trump cast a mail-in ballot in Florida's Republican primary on Aug 13, despite calling mail-in voting 'inherently corrupt'. The vote highlights his contradictory stance on mail-in ballots.
Background
Trump has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting, claiming it is fraudulent, and issued an executive order in March to curb it. However, he has voted by mail multiple times himself, including in the 2020 election and a special election earlier this year. His latest mail-in ballot was cast in the Florida Republican primary, which he is eligible to do as a resident of Palm Beach County.
How it unfolded
- 2019Trump first registered to vote in Palm Beach County, Florida.
- 2020Trump voted by mail in the general election.
- Mar 2026Trump voted by mail in a Florida special election for statehouse, despite criticizing the practice.
- Aug 13, 2026Trump returned his mail-in ballot for the Florida Republican primary, as shown in Palm Beach County voting records.
- Aug 17, 2026Politico reported on Trump's mail-in vote, and the White House confirmed it.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- White House spokeswoman said Trump is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but primarily lives at the White House.
- Critics
- Critics point out the hypocrisy, noting Trump called mail-in ballots 'inherently corrupt' while using them himself.
- Support
- Trump previously said he chose to vote by mail because he is the president, and the White House dismissed criticism as a 'non-story.'
Still unverified
The report of Trump's mail-in vote is based on Palm Beach County voting records as reported by Politico, and confirmed by the White House, but the exact details of his ballot return are not independently verified.