On Monday, Trump issued a statement vowing to eliminate mail-in voting, citing completely false claims about voting fraud. Despite what Trump says, voting by mail is a secure et effective way of making our democracy more accessible – and that’s exactly why he wants to get rid of it.

Let’s get the facts straight on mail-in voting:

MYTH: Mail-in voting is less secure than voting in person.

Voting by mail, just like voting in person, is incredibly secure. Mail ballots have been used in some form in the United States for over 150 years, and since the 1980s, when California first allowed voters to request absentee mail ballots with no excuse, mail-in voting has become a common way for Americans across the country to cast their ballots. In 2018, even before the COVID-19 pandemic caused many states to increase access to mail-in ballots, around one in four voters voted by mail. 

Election officials closely monitor the vote-by-mail process from the moment ballots are sent out to voters to the collecting, counting, and verification of those ballots. They ensure that voters’ signatures match official records, election officials track ballots as they travel through the U.S. Postal Service and conduct post-election audits to ensure the integrity of the vote counting process.

Several analyses of vote-by-mail procedures have found almost nonexistent fraud. In Oregon, for example, only around a dozen cases of mail-in voting fraud were uncovered over a period of almost two decades, during which over 100 million ballots were sent out. 

The facts are clear: mail-in voting greatly expands access to the ballot box while exposing states to almost no risk of fraud. 

MYTH: The United States is the only country that uses mail-in voting.

 Thirty-four countries around the world have some sort of vote-by-mail system. Twelve countries, including Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and South Korea, allow all citizens to vote by mail. Like the United States, many of these countries invested in their vote-by-mail infrastructure in response to the pandemic in 2020, and many chose to maintain these vote-by-mail options in the years that followed.

MYTH: Vote-by-mail gives an unfair advantage to one political party over another.

Trump has made many false claims about the Democratic party having an unfair advantage when voters have access to mail-in ballots. But these mail-in ballots, just like in-person ballots, are simply a method that voters can use to make their voices heard on Election Day. Numerous non-partisan experts have debunked Trump’s claims of foul play, and found that vote-by-mail options only expand access to the ballot box – for everyone.    

MYTH: President Trump has the power to end mail-in voting.

Trump says he plans to end mail-in voting by issuing an executive order, but the Constitution clearly directs États to determine the “times, places and manner” of holding elections. Only Congress has the authority to override states when it comes to election laws, so any attempt by Trump to overstep his authority and ban all vote-by-mail procedures via executive order will violate the Elections Clause of the Constitution. 

MYTH: Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting are about election security.

Trump’s threats against vote-by-mail ne le faites pas come from a genuine concern for election security and the integrity of our democracy – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Whether it’s trying to eliminate mail-in voting, gerrymandering Texas to create more Republican-leaning districts, or proposing legislation like the SAVE Act that would threaten millions’ ability to vote, Trump and his allies are dedicated to suppressing voters by any means possible.

Mail-in voting is widely-used, secure, and accessible. Trump wants to get rid of it to protect himself and further his authoritarian agenda.

Sign Common Cause’s petition to show your support for vote-by-mail here.