A roll of "I voted" stickers is ready for voters at Union Congregational Church in Green Bay during the spring primary election Feb. 15, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Proposed changes to absentee voting could affect future U.S. elections as a result of an executive order President Donald Trump signed this spring to crack down on mail-in ballots.
States may soon be required to submit eligible voter lists to the United States Postal Service. Under Trump’s directive, if states fail to provide a list containing every voter set to receive a mail-in ballot, USPS could deny the delivery of the ballots.
“The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible what’s going on, and it’s very clearly covered — very, very clearly — so I think this will help a lot with elections,” Trump said.
He said his goal is to stop voter fraud during mail-in voting, despite a lack of evidence proving any fraud is occurring.
In a statement to CNN, the White House said the “entire Trump administration will continue lawfully enacting the agenda President Trump was elected to enact — which includes the safety and security of American elections.”
These proposed changes are drawing criticism from members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
“My biggest concern is, it appears to allow the federal government, through the post office, to prevent or veto the use of absentee voting by mail, which is extremely popular — not only in Wisconsin, but across the nation,” Wisconsin Elections Commissioner Ann Jacobs said.
Jacobs said it’s not necessary for USPS to have this information and only municipal clerks and voters should be involved. She is concerned the directive will give too much data and control of absentee ballots to the federal government.
“Our Constitution said the mail delivers to everybody — not the mail delivers to the people that the federal government has decided are worthy to get a ballot,” Jacobs said.
Other WEC members said municipal clerks are already stretched thin and worry the proposed changes will slow down the delivery of election mail even more.
Chair Don Millis is a Republican-appointed member of the WEC.
“It would force all mail-in ballots to go to either Minneapolis or Milwaukee, and one of the things that I find ironic is that this is going to hurt Republican candidates a lot more than Democratic candidates,” Millis said.
Millis said Brown County saw a significant number of mail-in ballots during the 2024 presidential election, which Trump won.
Neither Millis nor Jacobs expect this change to be enacted in time for the August primary or the November general election.
23 Democratic-led states, including Wisconsin and the District of Columbia, are among those suing to block the directive.
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