Trump Casts Mail Ballot in Florida Primary Amid Push for Voting Restrictions

On August 17, 2026, President Donald Trump submitted a mail-in ballot for the Florida Republican primary, the second mail ballot he cast in the state that year. Voting records obtained by *Politico* show the ballot request was made in late July and returned on August 13. The White House later confirmed the vote, calling it “a non-story.”

PBS News HourThe GuardianTrump casts mail ballot again in Florida despite efforts to restrict mail voting

Trump has repeatedly argued that universal mail voting is “highly susceptible to fraud” and has promoted the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register and a government-issued ID to cast a ballot. In March 2026 he signed an executive order tightening mail-in voting rules, giving states a 60-day deadline to notify the U.S. Postal Service of eligible voters. A federal judge later blocked the order’s application in more than 20 Democratic-led states, describing it as “causing confusion.”

PBS News HourThe HillThe Guardian

• In 2024, about 1 million Florida Republicans and 1.25 million Florida Democrats voted by mail, according to a PBS analysis.

PBS News Hour

• As of July 20, Florida had roughly 13.5 million registered voters, with about 42 % registered as Republicans and 30 % as Democrats.

PBS News Hour

• Early-voting in the 2026 primary ran from August 8 through August 15, during which 1,239,312 mail ballots were received.

PBS News Hour

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales reiterated the administration’s position that the SAVE Act provides “commonsense exceptions” for illness, disability, military service, or travel, while opposing “universal mail-in voting.”

Trump casts mail ballot again in Florida despite efforts to restrict mail voting

Policy analysts at the Brookings Institution have noted that voter fraud in mail voting is “rare,” challenging the premise of the SAVE Act. Critics also point out that the executive order’s restrictions could disenfranchise millions ahead of the 2026 midterms, a concern voiced by several state election officials who warned that the rule-making timeline is insufficient for implementation.

PBS News Hour

Palm Beach County’s supervisor of elections told reporters that the president’s voting record is “protected from public disclosure” under state law, preventing independent verification of the ballot’s submission. *The New York Times* was unable to access the record, while *ABC News* and *PBS* cited the same protected-status notice.

The Guardian

• “Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration – How can you have Elections in the U.S. without a valid Photo ID? India’s last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1% voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!” — Donald Trump, mail voting president

The Guardian

• “No, I think mail-in voting is a terrible thing,” — Donald Trump, mail voting president

The Hill

• “I have not endorsed Cory Mills, and I do not support Cory Mills,” — Gov. Ron DeSantis, knowing governor

PBS News Hour