In the face of the current pandemic, there is no question that widespread use of mail voting is necessary to hold free, fair, and safe elections. The American public, from across the political spectrum, broadly supports increased mail voting this year.
Yet President Trump has criticized the practice saying: “Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting. Democrats are clamoring for it. Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans.” Contrary to President Trump’s protestations, mail voting is secure and does not harm Republicans (who vote by mail at high rates) or any other constituency. And he is incorrect that Republicans do not support expanded use of mail ballots this year.
In fact, there is strong bipartisan consensus on the issue. Democratic political leaders have been near-unanimous in their call for expanding mail voting. And as we document below, with selected quotes, reporting, and polling, it enjoys widespread support among Republican election officials, political leaders, and voters.
Table of Contents
- Republican Voters
- Republican Party Leaders
- Republican Elected Political Leaders
- Republican Chief Election Officials
- Republican Local Election Officials
- Additional Key Reporting
Republican Voters Support Mail Voting Option
- 72% of all U.S. adults said that they would support a requirement for mail in ballots as a way to protect voters, including 65% of Republicans, according to a Reuters poll conducted in early April 2020.—https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-poll-idUSKBN21P3G0
- A Brennan Center/Benenson poll conducted on March 22–24, 2020 found that four out of five Americans believe states should give all voters the option of voting mail ballots without having to provide an excuse during the November election. 57% of Republicans surveyed agreed that “all states should be required to allow vote by mail or unexcused absentee ballots to ensure people can vote with ease and without being in long lines or crowds.” https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/pulse-america-poll
Republican Party Leaders Promote Mail Voting
- According to the Washington Post, “Republicans have a long history of persuading their voters to cast ballots by mail.” Haley Barbour, the former RNC chairman and Mississippi governor, said the party’s vote-by-mail operation “long predated” his tenure at the party’s helm, from 1993 to 1997.—https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-pushes-voting-by-mail—with-restrictions—as-trump-attacks-it-as-corrupt/2020/04/12/526057a4–7bf8–11ea-a130-df573469f094_story.html
- “Voting by mail is an easy, convenient and secure way to cast your ballot,” read a mail piece the Republican National Committee distributed across [Pennsylvania]. “Return the attached official Republican Party mail-in ballot application to avoid lines and protect yourself from large crowds on Election Day.”—https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-pushes-voting-by-mail—with-restrictions—as-trump-attacks-it-as-corrupt/2020/04/12/526057a4–7bf8–11ea-a130-df573469f094_story.html
- Former RNC chairman Michael Steele co-authored an op-ed arguing that “the current emergency demands expanded use of vote-by-mail,” and that “democracy depends on it.”—https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/24/conservatives-must-get-behind-vote-by-mail-options/
- The chairs of both the Indiana Republican Party and Indiana Democratic Party wrote a joint letter to the state election commission asking for expanded access to absentee voting this year by making it easier for voters to request absentee ballots.—https://dailyjournalonline.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/indiana-officials-considering-delay-of-may-primary-election/article_074ca255–7818–52a8-a105–2e72798c0318.html
Republican Elected Political Leaders Support Mail Voting
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts (R)
- “[Mail voting is] a great way for people to be able to vote” at a time when Nebraskans confront the coronavirus pandemic threat, Ricketts said. “I’d encourage people to take advantage of that,” the governor said.—https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/ricketts-encourages-vote-by-mail-eyes-gradual-easing-of-covid-19-restrictions-possibly-in-may/article_2770d931-fa51–591f-b04b-d5e516a72888.html
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R)
- “It would endanger public health to allow thousands of people to assemble … and it would put Marylanders at risk,” Hogan said on March 17th at a press conference. “I am directing the state board of elections to develop a comprehensive plan by April 3 to conduct the primary election in a way that protects public health and preserves the integrity of the Democratic process in our state.”—https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/17/maryland-postpones-april-28-primary-election-over-coronavirus-133776
- When announcing expanded mail voting for Maryland’s primary in a news conference, Governor Hogan said, “Free and fair elections are the very foundation of American democracy, and our ultimate goal must be to do everything possible to ensure the voice of every Marylander is heard in a safe and secure manner.”—https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/elections/bs-md-pol-primary-hogan-decision-20200410-rvphpqz4mjfqdpnfrhjrifyqxm-story.html
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R)
- When announcing a guidance memo to address voting during the pandemic, Sununu said: “Number one, the ability for folks to vote absentee if they so choose, based on the COVID-19 epidemic, and our state has an immense amount of flexibility. Basically, if you feel more comfortable voting absentee because of the outbreak, or your inability, or nervousness just about appearing in person to vote, you can vote absentee and obtain an absentee ballot. So, we have a very flexible system.”—https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/04/in-nh-covid-ruled-a-disability-justifying-voting-by-mail.html
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R)
- When asked about President Trump’s comments on mail voting, Governor DeWine said, “You know, we postponed the election, or we expanded the election basically, because we didn’t think it was safe, but yes, it’s safe for people to vote in Ohio and we’re asking them to do that.”—https://radio.wosu.org/post/dewine-defends-ohios-vote-mail-process-after-attacks-president-trump#stream/0
Republican Mayors in Wisconsin
- In response to coronavirus, three Wisconsin mayors, including Republican Mayors Dean Kaufert of Neenah, WI and Timothy Hanna of Appleton, WI, called for the state’s primary to be held completely by mail: https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2020/03/20/coronavirus-green-bay-fox-valley-mayors-call-election-changes/2883666001/
Republican Leadership in Alaska
- Governor Mike Dunleavy signed a bill, passed by the state’s majority Republican legislature, that allows for expanded mail voting in Alaska’s 2020 elections.—http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/31?Root=SB241
Republican Chief Election Officials
Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman (R)
- Secretary Wyman co-authored an op-ed with Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) calling for additional election funding, in part to expand mail voting: “In order to make voting widely accessible, especially in the middle of this national emergency, it is imperative that all states have the flexibility to mail ballots to every eligible voter—wherever they may be taking shelter.”—https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/31/opinions/covid-19-states-billions-election-safety-hobbs-wyman/index.html
- On a call with U.S. Senators and a bipartisan group of secretaries of state, Wyman said: “Election officials, lawmakers, and other leaders across the political spectrum must come together to work on sustainable solutions to maintain access to democracy while keeping voters, election workers, and our voting systems safe. As states work to ensure every eligible person has an opportunity to vote in the upcoming elections, increased absentee voting and vote-by-mail must be options on the table.”—https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=1FDF8546-E052–4BEF-8170–304FCC2DCDA5
- “Washington state’s vote-by-mail system is accessible, secure, fair, and instills confidence in our voters. Despite the coronavirus outbreak mounting during the last few days of our presidential primary voting period in early March, our voters still had an opportunity to cast ballots thanks to vote-by-mail.”—https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=1FDF8546-E052–4BEF-8170–304FCC2DCDA5
- “[W]e actually compare every single signature of every single ballot that comes in and we compare it and make sure that it matches the one on their voter registration record.”—https://cbsaustin.com/news/coronavirus/new-calls-to-change-the-way-we-vote-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic
- “When you look at states that are vote by mail, you have a mix of blue and red and states,” she said.—https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/us/politics/vote-by-mail.html
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
- “I am acting today [to expand access to absentee voting] because the people of Georgia, from the earliest settlers to heroes like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Congressman John Lewis, have fought too long and too hard for their right to vote to have it curtailed. Georgia has faced challenges before and overcome them, and we can do so again through the grit and ingenuity that has made America a shining example for democracies around the world.”—https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/raffensperger_takes_unprecedented_steps_to_protect_safety_and_voter_integrity_in_georgia
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R)
- In response to a tweet by President Trump that mail voting increases the risk of “crime and VOTER FRAUD,” Secretary LaRose said, “I can tell you that’s not the case in Ohio. As I’ve said, we’re fortunate that we’ve been doing vote by mail for a long time. We know how to do it, and we know how to get it done securely.”—https://twitter.com/FrankLaRose/status/1249378551217950720
- In an April 9th video promoting the state’s first all-mail elections, Secretary LaRose said: “I reject this notion that I think comes from days gone by, when people say it’s not good for Republicans when there’s high turnout. The highest turnout presidential election we ever had was 2016. The highest turnout gubernatorial election we ever had was 2018.”—https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/us/politics/vote-by-mail.html
- A statement from Maggie Sheehan, Secretary LaRose’s spokesperson, reads: “Though we are preparing for every possible scenario, our expectation and hope is that we’ll be able to have a normal election in November. That said, it’s fortunate that Ohio has a long history of running secure elections, and that includes decades of voting by mail. From voter-specific ballot tracking and frequently maintained voter rolls to security measures at county boards of elections where ballots are handled and stored by a bipartisan team of election officials, Ohioans can be confident that their vote-by-mail ballots are as safe and secure as the votes cast on Election Day.”—https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/10/trump-is-lying-about-voter-fraud-again-republicans-dont-fall-it/
Utah Director of Elections Justin Lee (R)
- “Being a very red state, we haven’t seen anything that helps one party over another at all. We’ve heard less concern about voter fraud than about whether every ballot that should get counted does get counted.”—https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paloma/the-trailer/2020/04/02/the-trailer-the-fear-and-politics-around-expanding-voting-by-mail/5e84980e602ff10d49ada414/
- In Utah, Trump’s complaints baffled Justin Lee, the state’s elections director. “The only fraud the state finds are scattered examples of one spouse signing for another. The mail system hasn’t hurt Republicans at all…[p]eople are turning out, 90% are using it in a very red state,” Lee said. “I don’t see any problems for us.”—https://www.weirtondailytimes.com/covid-19-the-latest/2020/04/trump-differs-with-gop-allies-on-mail-in-voting/
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (R)
- “We’re going to be aggressively promoting and encouraging folks: ‘Please vote by mail through the absentee process,’” Secretary Pate said. “That’s the avenue we think they should consider doing … for safety reasons, if anything else.”—https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/iowa-election-officials-pushing-vote-by-mail-for-june-primary/article_33d9e303-f176–5657-b87c-26e1c5438372.html
West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner (R)
- “The Governor, Attorney General, county clerks and I have zealously worked together within state law to balance health concerns with the ease of voting,” Warner said. "We have determined that the absentee voting process is the safest method. By sending an absentee application to all registered voters, it encourages voters to participate in the election in the safest manner possible without having to leave their house. Your ballot box is as close as your mailbox.”—https://www.whsv.com/content/news/West-Virginia-launches-plan-to-send-absentee-ballot-applications-to-all-voters-569129731.html
- The statewide mailing of absentee voting applications [in West Virginia] will give every eligible voter the chance to vote “while protecting the health of voters, county clerks’ staff members, election workers, and the general public, while maximizing participation in the May 12 Primary Election,” Warner said in a release.—https://www.whsv.com/content/news/West-Virginia-launches-plan-to-send-absentee-ballot-applications-to-all-voters-569129731.html
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams (R)
- “It’s my concern, after an exhaustive process of consultation with our county clerks, the State Board of Elections and others, that we need to at least be prepared to have an expanded absentee balloting system available by June 23,” Adams said in a press release. “I’d like us to be able to prepare in advance for a situation where we have limited in-person voting and expanded voting by mail.”—https://twitter.com/KYSecState/status/1245474003248128000
- On April 24, when announcing the plan for expanded mail voting for Kentucky’s primary, Secretary Adams said, “Voters across the political spectrum will be pleased with this plan to protect both democracy and public health. I’m grateful to Governor Beshear for his leadership, and his working in good faith with me toward ensuring a successful and safe election.”— https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=139
Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno (R)
- “Because Oregon votes by mail we do not have to be concerned about social distancing issues at polling places that so many other states are struggling with.”—https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-primary-coronavirus-vote-by-mail/
Republican Local Election Officials Ask for Additional Funding
- In a letter to Congress, local election officials, dozens of whom are Republican, called for Congress to allocate funding to enable election officials to make the adjustments needed to the election system to run safe, secure and resilient elections in the face of the coronavirus.—https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/election-officials-call-increased-election-funding
- Lisa Marra, president of the Elections Officials of Arizona, and Virginia Ross, president of the Arizona Recorders Association—both membership groups that represent election officials in all 15 counties in Arizona—co-authored an op-ed calling for expanded mail voting options: “As election professionals, we are committed to ensuring that the rest of the elections in 2020 are accurate, secure and safe for voters, anticipating the COVID-19 pandemic could continue requirements around social distancing for the remainder of the year. On behalf of the Arizona Recorders Association and the Election Officials of Arizona, we believe it is crucial that the Legislature extend our ability to hold ballot-by-mail elections for state and federal elections, a practice already authorized for jurisdictional elections. It is the best way to ensure Arizona voters are safe during this pandemic and have the certainty of the continuity of our democracy.”—https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2020/04/08/arizona-all-mail-election-2020-wouldnt-ruin-its-integrity/2957970001/
Additional Key Reporting
- As Trump Rails Against Mail Voting, Some Allies Embrace It by Nicholas Riccardi, AP News
- Even As Trump Denounces Vote By Mail, GOP In Florida And Elsewhere Relies On It by Greg Allen, NPR
- How to Hold Elections During a Pandemic by Rachel Kleinfeld and Josh Kleinfeld, National Review
- Vote by Mail, Just This Once by Mona Charen, National Review
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