PRAGMATIC ISSUES

Trump’s Unconstitutional Power Grab — Trying to Ban Mail-In Voting & Voting Machines

In a political maneuver that underscores both his penchant for overreach and a disregard for constitutional limits, President Donald Trump’s recent declarations to eliminate mail-in voting and voting machines—from the Oval Office to Truth Social—reveal a dangerous ambition: trying to rewrite the rules of American democracy.

A Threat to Democratic Norms

On August 18, 2025, Trump asserted that “we’re going to start with an executive order… to end mail-in ballots because they’re corrupt,” while denouncing voting machines as inaccurate and expensive. His supporters tout the move as a step toward restoring “honesty” to election results.

But there’s a glaring constitutional caveat: the U.S. Constitution vests authority over election administration not in the president, but primarily in states—and Congress, not the executive branch.

States like Arizona have already pushed back. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes bluntly declared he would “tell [Trump] to pound sand,” warning of inevitable legal challenges if the president attempts to ban mail-in ballots by executive fiat.

History of Legal Defeat

This is not Trump’s first attempt to force sweeping election changes. In March 2025, he signed an executive order mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration and restricting mail-in ballots received after Election Day—even tying federal funds to state compliance.

In response, a federal judge blocked major parts of that order, affirming that such overreach violates the constitutional division of powers. The legal resistance was formidable: 19 Democratic attorneys general, voting rights groups, and nonprofits filed lawsuits arguing the order sought to disenfranchise voters and usurp state authority.

Why This Moves Democracy Backward

Federalism in Practice: Our system entrusts states with the specifics of election management—ballot design, counting methods, timelines—not the federal executive. Trump’s assertions undermine the bedrock principle that elections are a decentralized, state-led process.
Elections Depend on Legitimacy, Not Power Plays: Banning a method adopted by nearly a third of voters—mail-in voting—does more than upend procedures; it disenfranchises wide swaths of citizens who rely on it for access.

Unchecked Authority Sets a Dangerous Precedent: If one president can unilaterally transform voting laws, where do we draw the line? Trump’s threatened executive oversteps would put election integrity in the hands of the most politically motivated actor: the incumbent.

Trump is not merely attacking a voting method—he’s attacking democratic norms. His belief that he can commandeer election rules through executive decrees ignores centuries of constitutional tradition and court precedent.

Mail-in voting is not corrupt. For decades, states like Colorado and Oregon have conducted entire elections by mail with impressive security, access, and reliability. Future reform must come through democratic means—legislation, not unilateral decrees—and with constitutional respect.

If Trump truly values “honesty” in elections, he should work within the system, not chip away at it. Democracy isn’t about stacking the odds in your favor—it’s about ensuring every vote counts, fairly and equally.