US President Donald Trump has voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary despite repeatedly attacking the practice as vulnerable to fraud and advocating tighter restrictions on mail-in voting. Voting records show Trump requested a ballot in late July and returned it last week for Tuesday’s Florida primary 2026.
A crowded field of Republicans is vying to replace the party’s term-limited Governor in Tuesday’s primary. But recent polling indicates Congressman Byron Donalds is leading the pack, with Trump’s endorsement. If elected in November, he would be the state’s first Black governor.
His competitors in the Republican gubernatorial primary include state Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, former State House Speaker Paul Renner and controversial businessman James Fishback, who has been accused of having racist views.
Trump had praised India’s voter ID system
Quick answers to key questions
Why did Trump vote by mail when he opposes mail-in voting?⌵
Trump has criticized mail-in voting but stated he used it due to specific circumstances, such as being largely based at the White House. The White House confirmed that exceptions exist for certain situations.
What are the main provisions of the SAVE America Act?⌵
The SAVE America Act requires proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and mandates photo identification for casting ballots, while also limiting mail-in voting to situations involving illness, disability, military service, or travel.
How does Trump’s voting record relate to his stance on mail-in ballots?⌵
Despite denouncing mail-in voting as corrupt, Trump has voted by mail in the past, including the 2020 election and a Florida special election, indicating a pattern of using the method he publicly criticizes.
What example did Trump use to advocate for stricter voting laws in the U.S.?⌵
Trump cited India’s voter ID system as a model, highlighting that less than 1% of voters used mail-in ballots during India’s 2024 elections and emphasizing the need for valid photo IDs to ensure election integrity.
What has been the reaction to the SAVE America Act among political parties?⌵
Democrats argue that the SAVE America Act disenfranchises eligible voters, while Republicans claim it is necessary to prevent voter fraud and ensure only U.S. citizens are involved in elections.
Earlier today, Trump praised India’s voter identification system while calling for stricter election rules in the US. He cited Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and pointed to India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election, in which more than 640 million people voted.
“Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration — How can you have Elections in the U.S. without a valid Photo ID? India’s last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1% voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump has used India’s election system as an example while urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which seeks tighter voter identification and citizenship requirements and restrictions on mail voting.
Trump says mail-in ballots are ‘inherently corrupt’
Trump has repeatedly questioned the reliability of mail-in voting, including by linking it to his unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
“Mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt,” he said during a July speech on election security.
Despite those remarks, Palm Beach County voting records cited by US media show that and returned it last week. Trump is a registered voter in Palm Beach County, where his Mar-a-Lago residence is located.
The White House said there was no contradiction, pointing to exceptions that would allow people who are away from their usual place of residence to vote by mail.
White House defends Trump’s Florida mail vote
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump’s position was that mail ballots could be used in specific circumstances while opposing universal mail voting.
“As President Trump has said, the SAVE America Act has commonsense exceptions for Americans to use mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military, or travel — but universal mail-in voting should not be allowed because it’s highly susceptible to fraud,” Wales told AFP.
She also said Trump’s circumstances justified his use of a mail ballot.
“As everyone knows, the president is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but he obviously primarily lives at the White House in Washington DC. This is a non-story,” she said.
White House officials have said Trump has not visited Florida for several months because he has been based primarily at the White House.
Trump has used mail voting despite opposing it
Trump’s latest vote is not the first occasion on which he has used a voting method he has criticised.
He voted by mail in Palm Beach County in 2020 and again in a Florida special election earlier this year. After the latter vote, Trump defended his decision to vote remotely while reiterating his opposition to mail voting more broadly.
“No, I think mail-in voting is a terrible thing,” he said. “I think if you vote, you should go.”
Florida law permits eligible registered voters to request mail ballots, although the Republican-controlled state has introduced stricter identification and ballot-handling requirements in recent years.
Florida Republican primary takes place today
Three states are holding primaries on Tuesday (18 August), with Florida deciding its nominees for both governor and for Senate. Floridians will also be voting in primaries in new congressional districts after GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through new district boundaries to give Republicans an advantage in 24 of the state’s 28 districts.
Trump has endorsed Congressman Byron Donalds in the Republican contest. The Florida primary is taking place as Trump continues to push for changes to the way elections are conducted across the country.
