Trump proposes end to mail-in voting, replace with watermarked paper ballots

President Donald Trump moved Monday to redefine how Americans vote, saying he would lead a nationwide effort to end mail-in ballots and voting machines and replace them with watermarked paper ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. He described the move as a bid to restore “honesty and integrity” to elections, and he signaled an executive-order pathway to push states to abandon current practices. The proposal immediately faces constitutional hurdles, financial questions, and a renewed debate about how elections should be run in a highly decentralized system.

Trump’s public post asserted that mail-in ballots are “corrupt” and that voting machines are “highly inaccurate” and expensive, asserting that the United States would be the only country to rely on mail-in voting. He said the executive order — being drafted by the best lawyers in the country — would end mail-in voting and replace current machines with paper ballots. He framed the plan as part of a broader effort to restore trust in elections, arguing that states act as agents for the federal government in counting votes and therefore should comply with federal directives. Supporters say the shift would streamline...