President Donald Trump cast a mail ballot in a Florida special election before criticizing mail-in voting as “cheating” just days later, according to voting records from Palm Beach County and various news reports.
According to reports, he submitted his ballot in the March 24 special election before condemning the practice at a roundtable event in Memphis.
This vote adds a new angle to the President’s message about elections. He has long criticized mail-in voting, often claiming, without evidence, that it results in widespread fraud.
During the Memphis event, Trump referred to it as “mail-in cheating,” echoing arguments he has made since the 2020 election. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that his ballot was already recorded in Palm Beach County by the time he made those comments.
Trump: It was brought to my attention today that we’re the only country that does mail in voting. I call it mail in cheating. pic.twitter.com/2bNmgoK6km
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 23, 2026
Trump voted in the Florida special election despite the availability of in-person early voting in Palm Beach County. The election included state legislative races, and the president endorsed Republican candidate Jon Maples in one of the contests. Public records referenced by The Guardian, AP, and other outlets indicated that his ballot was accepted and counted.
The White House defended the president once these reports surfaced. Officials stated that Trump’s criticism targets overall mail-voting systems, not just individual cases of absentee voting. AP reported a White House spokeswoman mentioned that the President qualified to vote by mail because he resides in Washington while being registered to vote in Florida. Reuters noted that the administration also linked this defense to exceptions mentioned in Trump-backed voting legislation.
The President has been urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill aimed at tightening voting rules, including proof-of-citizenship requirements and limits on who can vote by mail. News reports indicate that the measure would allow mail voting only in specific situations, such as illness, military service, disability, or travel. This push is part of Trump’s broader effort to change election laws during his second term.
Public records show that President Trump voted by mail in the special election occurring Tuesday for the statehouse district that includes his Mar-a-Lago estate — in spite of his longstanding rhetoric against voting by mail. https://t.co/abYCfyffdP
— ABC News (@ABC) March 24, 2026
Election experts continue to challenge Trump’s claims regarding fraud in mail voting. AP cited research by the Brookings Institution which found that voter fraud in mail ballots is uncommon. Major news outlets covering this recent issue also pointed out that Trump provided no evidence when he connected mail voting with cheating.
This situation also brings attention to Trump’s own past with absentee and mail ballots. Reports mentioned that he voted by mail in previous elections while publicly criticizing the method. This history has faced backlash from opponents who argue that the president supports a voting option for himself while promoting efforts to restrict it for others.
The latest controversy takes place as voting rules remain a significant political topic ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a separate case related to late-arriving mail ballots, a long-standing issue for Trump and his allies. For now, the president’s own ballot serves as the latest illustration of the disconnect between his public statements and his personal use of the election system he continues to criticize.
