President Donald Trump confirmed he voted by mail in Florida’s recent special election, citing exceptions allowed for mail-in voting, including his status as president. Speaking at the White House on March 26, 2026, Trump said he used a mail-in ballot because he was occupied with presidential duties and could not be physically present at the polls.
Trump Details Reasons for Mail-In Voting
Trump explained that his voting by mail was justified due to his extensive schedule, which included time spent at Mar-a-Lago, a crime forum in Memphis, Tennessee, and various engagements in Washington, D.C. “Because I’m president of the United States, I did a mail-in ballot for elections that took place in Florida because I felt I should be here instead of being in the beautiful sunshine,” he said.
He emphasized that mail-in ballots have exceptions for several categories including military personnel, those who are traveling, disabled, or ill. Trump stressed, “If you’re away, you have an exception.”
Trump Criticizes Universal Mail-In Voting While Supporting Restrictions
Despite voting by mail himself, Trump denounced widespread mail-in voting as vulnerable to fraud, referring to it as “mail-in cheating.” He reiterated calls for restricting mail-in voting to cases such as illness, disability, military service, or travel.
Trump urged Congressional Democrats to approve the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and include mail-in voting restrictions. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated that the bill “has commonsense exceptions” but opposes universal mail-in voting due to fraud concerns.
Previously, Trump voted absentee in the 2018 midterm elections but voted in person in 2020, according to past White House statements.
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