Despite railing against mail-in voting, Trump votes by mail in Florida GOP primary

Washington DC [US], August 18 (ANI): Despite repeatedly railing against mail-in voting and alleging that the system is vulnerable to fraud, US President Donald Trump has once again voted by mail in his home state of Florida, Politico reported, citing local voting records.
According to Politico, voting records in Palm Beach County show that Trump requested a mail-in ballot in late July and returned it on August 13.
The latest instance is not the first time Trump has used a mail-in ballot in Florida. He also voted by mail in a special election in Palm Beach County earlier this year.
Trump's use of mail-in voting comes as he continues to campaign against the practice and backs efforts to impose tighter restrictions on how federal elections are conducted.
Florida's Republican primary features a competitive race for governor, with Trump-endorsed US Representative Byron Donalds widely viewed as the frontrunner. He faces challenges from Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, former state House Speaker Paul Renner and investor James Fishback, Politico reported.
Trump has repeatedly urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo identification for federal elections as well as documentary proof of citizenship.
White House Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales defended Trump's use of a mail-in ballot, saying the proposed legislation would still allow limited exceptions.
"As President Trump has said, the SAVE America Act has commonsense exceptions for Americans to use mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military, or travel -- but universal mail-in voting should not be allowed because it's highly susceptible to fraud," Wales said, as quoted by Politico.
"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," she added.
Trump has continued to publicly criticise mail-in voting. During a speech in July, he said, "Mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt," while advocating that their use be restricted primarily to people who are serving in the military, travelling, or unable to vote in person because of illness or disability, Politico reported.
The Trump administration is also seeking to revive an executive order aimed at restricting mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
A federal appeals court blocked the order earlier this year, and the administration has asked the US Supreme Court to allow it to take effect.
Trump, who has falsely claimed that he won the 2020 presidential election, has made election rules and voting procedures a central issue of his political agenda.
However, Florida Republicans have so far stopped short of adopting Trump's broader calls to severely restrict access to voting by mail. Republicans hold a supermajority in the state legislature, while Florida law continues to allow eligible registered voters to request vote-by-mail ballots.
The state has, however, introduced tighter rules in recent years.
According to Politico, restrictions have been placed on so-called ballot harvesting, limiting who can collect and deliver another voter's ballot.
Voters are also required to renew their vote-by-mail requests every two years, while additional identification requirements have been introduced.
Trump's latest mail-in vote therefore comes against the backdrop of his broader campaign to restrict the practice nationally, even as he continues to use the system available to voters in Florida. (ANI)