President Donald Trump claimed Monday that he has the authority to issue an executive order on mail-in ballots, whose increasing use, he argues, could increase election fraud.
“I have the right to do it,” Trump told reporters at a White House press conference. “We haven’t gotten there yet, we’ll see what happens.”
Trump added that Republicans are planning to file suit as soon as Tuesday to try to block Nevada’s expansion of mail-in voting.
Nearly all election procedures are governed on a state-by-state basis, with the remainder set by Congress or enshrined in the Constitution. There is no precedent or apparent authority for Trump to try to curtail the use of mail-in ballots by executive order, though he could use a document to formalize his opposition to the practice.
BREAKING: New York prosecutor seeking President Trump's tax returns cites reports of 'protracted criminal conduct' at the Trump Organization. https://t.co/E95AZNM803
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 3, 2020
FACTS about voting:
1. Trump can't ban mail voting through executive order. States run elections
2. "Absentee" & "mail-in" voting are same thing
3. Only 143 criminal convictions for mail ballot fraud over 20 years (.00006% total votes)
4. 16 top Trump officials voted by mail
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) August 3, 2020