Donald Trump’s defeat in 2020 was partly due to his attacks on mail-in ballots and the resulting distrust these messages fostered. Consequently, Republicans are currently working to rebuild trust in mail-in voting ahead of this election, aiming to demonstrate its validity to voters.

In the 2020 election, mail-in voting surged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump criticized mail-in ballots as part of his effort to discredit the presidential election results, a strategy he’s still using in his campaign.

“Mail-in voting shouldn’t be an option,” Trump declared before the 2020 election. “Voters should go to a booth and cast their vote proudly. Mailing it in opens the door to numerous potential issues.”

His unfounded claims about fraud in mail-in voting likely contributed to his 2020 loss and Republican setbacks in 2022. Now, as early voting begins around the country for the November election, the GOP is working to mend the damage caused by Trump’s falsehoods.

The GOP aims to repair Trump’s damage

Interestingly, 74% of Republicans still believe that mail-in voting has experienced fraud in prior elections, unlike just 34% of Democrats.

Mail-in voting is the most accessible choice for a large number of voters, and GOP organizations recognize that improving accessibility can lead to increased turnout.

Nevertheless, this initiative demands substantial financial resources because many voters were led to believe by their influential political figure that their mailed votes wouldn’t count. As a result, GOP PACs are investing millions in critical swing states to restore the credibility of mail-in voting among their followers.

Organizations like Turning Point Action are making significant investments to boost voter engagement in essential states.

“As President Trump has consistently stated, voting by mail, voting early, and voting in person on Election Day are all valid choices,” remarked Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, seemingly contradicting Trump’s previous statements on the subject.

It doesn’t take much digging to find past remarks made by the former president.

“The electoral process is a mess. We need to take charge and change everything,” Trump stated at a rally. “We need to eliminate mail-in voting.”

All the resources allocated to promoting mail-in voting could have been better utilized if Trump hadn’t cast doubt on its integrity back in 2020 and continued to challenge the legitimacy of the overall electoral process.

The growth of mail-in voting and why Republicans should embrace it

While mail-in voting decreased in 2022 compared to the pandemic-influenced 2020 election, 36% of voters still opted for this method. Despite the decline, a notable difference in early voting remained between Democrats and Republicans.

Before 2020, mail-in voting did not consistently favor one party over another. However, after Trump’s statements about election security, Republican voters used mail-in voting at nearly half the rate of Democratic voters.

Mail-in voting’s popularity is not rooted in partisan issues; rather, it stems from its convenience. It allows Americans to participate in elections without the necessity of traveling to polling sites and ensures that personal issues do not prevent them from voting on Election Day.

Given that the Republican Party primarily draws voters from rural areas, who often face longer distances to polling locations, it would seem logical for them to endorse mail-in voting. With better access to voting, these individuals are more inclined to participate, and they had a higher rate of mail-in voting compared to the average voter in 2020. Many rural polling places cater to communities larger than 62 square miles, which means voters often have to drive significant distances to cast their ballots unless they use mail-in voting.

Trump’s false claims about the election are damaging a segment of his supporter base.

The GOP Continues to Suffer Due to Trump’s Shortcomings

During the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican Party did not perform as expected. Super PACs associated with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had to invest vast amounts, amounting to hundreds of millions, to assist struggling candidates like Herschel Walker, who had Trump’s endorsement. That defeat ultimately cost the GOP control of the Senate. Meanwhile, Trump did little to utilize his own political resources to mend the issues he created.

This situation reflects a recurring issue: Trump appears more concerned with maintaining his status as the party’s leader than with the GOP’s overall success.

Instead, he often undermines his own chances of success, leaving the GOP to address the fallout while he relives the excitement of his unexpected victory in 2016.

Even as recently as this spring, Trump has been reluctant to acknowledge that mail-in voting is a valid option, even as the Republican Party tries to promote it across the nation for his benefit. His stance is that it’s marginally better than no voting at all, but his skeptical attitude does not inspire confidence in his supporters regarding the importance of their votes.

Trump often creates problems for himself, leaving the Republican Party to bear the financial burden. Sooner or later, we might realize that many of these challenges could be avoided by selecting a different candidate. In the meantime, we will continue to experience losses and squander resources.