U.S. Vote Foundation and Overseas Vote Defend Vote-by-Mail

U.S. Vote Foundation and our Overseas Vote initiative strongly condemn the recent presidential threats to restrict or eliminate voting by mail through executive order. Such an action would be unconstitutional, unprecedented, and an attack on the rights of millions of American voters, including our military and overseas citizens.

Voting by mail is a well-established, secure, and reliable method of casting a ballot. It is used successfully in every state and territory of the United States, with some states conducting their elections entirely by mail. This method controls costs, ensures accuracy, and creates a paper trail that protects election integrity. For more than 50 years, absentee voting by mail has been the backbone of secure voting for our military and overseas citizens.

There is no credible evidence of widespread fraud in mail-in voting. In fact, decades of experience prove the opposite: it works. It is safe, efficient, and trusted by election officials across the political spectrum. The success of the military and overseas voting program should make our nation proud—and determined to defend and preserve absentee voting, not dismantle it.

 

Any suggestion that the U.S. should weaken its mail voting system, or take advice from authoritarian leaders abroad, is not only misguided but dangerous. The administration’s threats serve only as a distraction from other failings and do not deserve serious consideration.

 

The Constitution is clear: the authority to regulate elections rests with the states and Congress—not the President. Congress must hold firm in its role and refuse to cede its constitutional responsibilities.

 

Voting by mail is an American success story. It ensures that all voters—whether living in our hometowns, serving in uniform, or residing overseas—have a voice in our democracy. We will not stand by quietly as it is undermined.

 

Mark Ritchie, Acting Chair
Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, President and CEO
U.S. Vote Foundation and Overseas Vote