Trump Casts Mail Ballot in Florida Special Election Despite Criticizing the Method

The former president voted by mail while publicly condemning the practice as "cheating."

Mar. 24, 2026 at 4:34am

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Former President Donald Trump cast a mail ballot in an upcoming Florida special election, according to Palm Beach County records, even as he publicly criticized mail-in voting as fraudulent. Trump has frequently attacked mail voting, calling it "mail-in cheating," but has voted by mail himself in the past, including in the 2020 presidential election.

Why it matters

Trump's actions highlight the disconnect between his rhetoric and his personal voting behavior. His criticism of mail-in voting as rife with fraud contrasts with his own use of the method, raising questions about the validity of his claims. This story also comes as Trump pushes for the SAVE America Act, which would add new restrictions to mail voting nationwide, despite the fact that the bill does not actually end the practice.

The details

According to public records, Trump's mail ballot was received and counted by election officials in Palm Beach County, where he is registered to vote, though the records do not detail how the ballot was delivered. Trump has previously voted by mail while criticizing the method, saying in 2020 that he did so because he was unable to travel to Florida to vote in person. The White House has defended Trump's mail voting, saying the SAVE America Act would allow "commonsense exceptions" for mail ballots in cases of illness, disability, military service, or travel.

  • Trump cast his mail ballot in the upcoming Florida special election.
  • Trump made public comments criticizing mail-in voting as "cheating" on March 22, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who has frequently criticized mail-in voting as fraudulent, even as he has voted by mail himself in the past.

Olivia Wales

A White House spokeswoman who defended Trump's use of mail voting, stating that the SAVE America Act would allow "commonsense exceptions" for the practice.

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What they’re saying

“Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating. I call it mail-in cheating, and we got to do something about it all.”

— Donald Trump

“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, D.C. This is a non-story.”

— Olivia Wales, White House spokeswoman

What’s next

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The takeaway

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