President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order banning mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterms, calling for a return to paper ballots to ensure election integrity.
President Donald J. Trump announced on Monday his intent to sign an executive order aimed at eliminating mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In a detailed statement released on social media, Trump stated, โI am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while weโre at it, Highly โInaccurate,โ Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINESโฆ We will begin this effortโฆ by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER.โ
According to Trump, the executive order will mandate the use of โaccurate and sophisticated Watermark Paperโ ballots. He argued that this method would be faster and more reliable than electronic tabulation systems, which he described as costly and flawed.
Trump wrote, โVoting machinesโฆ cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election.โ
He further stated that mail-in voting is no longer practiced globally, claiming, โWe are now the only Country in the World that uses Mail-In Voting. All others gave it up because of the MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD ENCOUNTERED.โ
The executive order, he said, is intended to โbring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections.โ Trump also asserted that the states function as โagentsโ of the federal government in the vote-counting process, stating, โThey must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells themโฆ for the good of our country.โ
In the same statement, Trump connected the proposed voting changes to broader political concerns, referencing โOpen Borders,โ โMen Playing in Womenโs Sports,โ and โWOKEโ policies. He said such issues make Democrats โvirtually Unelectable without using this completely disproven Mail-In SCAM.โ
Trump concluded by emphasising what he called the importance of election integrity: โWithout fair and honest elections, and strong and powerful borders, you donโt have even a semblance of a country.โ
The proposed executive order has not yet been released in full, and no official implementation timeline was provided.
Trumpโs announcement echoes his past efforts to cast doubt on election results, including his refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, which he falsely claimed was โstolen.โ In March 2025, he signed another executive order requiring proof of citizenship to vote and discouraging electronic vote tabulation.