4 Facts You Need to Counter Trump's Lies About Mail-In Voting

"the president is still repeating the same tired lies about mail-in ballots that he's been pushing for nearly a decade. These claims have been investigated, litigated, and debunked-sometimes by his own allies-yet they keep returning because they serve a purpose: to sow doubt, decrease confidence, and weaken democracy. Many have already zeroed in on the president's utter lack of legal authority to restrict, much less eliminate, states' use of mail ballots. Even Congress's authority, under Article I Section 4 of the US Constitution, is severely limited."

"Mail-in voting began in the Civil War as a way to ensure that the soldiers who were fighting for the future of their country could have a say in who would be leading it. In the 1864 election, almost all of the union states adopted absentee voting for soldiers, much of which used mail-in ballots. It's still the case today, when mail-in ballots are how military members and their families vote."

"Second: This isn't a partisan issue. Republicans, Democrats, and independents all use mail-in ballots. What studies do show is that easier access to mail ballots leads to higher turnout, without tilting the scales. In 2020, states that automatically delivered a ballot to every eligible voter had an average increase in voter turnout of 5 percent. States that increased access to mail ballots between 2018 and 2022 saw an increase in turnout by disabled voters of 5.3 percent."

Repeated false claims about mail-in ballots aim to sow doubt, decrease confidence, and weaken democratic participation. The president lacks legal authority to restrict states' use of mail ballots, and congressional authority under Article I, Section 4 is limited. Mail-in voting originated during the Civil War to allow soldiers to vote and remains the method for military members and their families. Republicans, Democrats, and independents all use mail-in ballots. Easier access to mail ballots increases turnout without favoring a party: states that mailed ballots to every eligible voter saw about a 5 percent turnout rise, and disabled voter turnout rose 5.3 percent where access increased.

Read at The Nation