Trump Pushes for Election Changes, but Constitution Curbs His Authority

Donald Trump vowed to abolish mail voting and voting machines before the 2026 midterms, citing fraud claims widely debunked by experts. Constitutional limits, however, leave election control largely with states and Congress. Courts have already blocked Trump’s prior attempts, making his proposals more political messaging than enforceable reform.

President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his call to eliminate mail voting and voting machines, promising an executive order ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. He argued these methods create “massive fraud,” though multiple reviews, including one by the Associated Press after the 2020 election, found such fraud to be exceedingly rare.

Trump falsely claimed the US is the only country to allow mail voting, overlooking the fact that nations like Germany, Switzerland, and the UK also use it. He has long leaned on conspiracy theories to explain his 2020 defeat, even though those same systems enabled his 2024 victory and Republican congressional gains.

Election experts stress that the Constitution grants states, not the president, the authority to oversee elections, with Congress having limited powers to alter federal rules. Courts have already blocked parts of Trump’s earlier executive orders on elections, ruling that the president cannot unilaterally impose changes.

The US system, with nearly 10,000 local jurisdictions managing their own elections, makes sweeping federal control impractical. While some countries like France hand-count ballots for single contests, American ballots often contain dozens of races and measures, requiring a mix of paper and machine tabulation.

Trump’s latest post signals his determination to shape election processes in ways that could benefit his party. Yet even with Republicans in control of Congress, eliminating voting machines or mail ballots nationwide would face steep hurdles, including Senate filibusters and pushback from GOP-led states where such systems remain popular.

Also Read: Heavy police presence in Tremonton after reports of active shooter

For now, Trump’s rhetoric appears aimed more at energizing supporters and keeping election grievances in the spotlight rather than enacting feasible policy changes.

---