Trump’s Fight Against Voting by Mail, Explained

Voting by mail, which began in the U.S. during the Civil War when soldiers were away from home, has become increasingly popular in recent elections. A surge in mail-in ballots is expected this November as Americans avoid polling places for fear of contracting the coronavirus. But President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term, and others in the Republican Party are resistant to making vote-by-mail an option for all -- with Trump going so far as to suggest delaying the election until the pandemic eases. The fight is playing out in state capitals and courtrooms around the country, since states have authority for how elections are carried out.

In states with the most expansive policies -- California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington, plus the District of Columbia -- all voters will automatically receive a ballot in the mail, and most of those states will even pay postage for sending it back. At the other extreme, states including Missouri, Mississippi and Texas are still reserving absentee ballots only for those who can cite an approved reason, such as that they will be away on Election Day, serving jury duty, or are disabled, elderly or incarcerated. Many other states sit somewhere in the middle: A prospective voter must request a mail-in “absentee” ballot in advance but doesn’t need to provide a reason for wanting it or can simply cite concerns about the coronavirus. Policies are under review in many states, so this breakdown is subject to revision by Election Day.