While Trump falsely claims mail ballots are “very dangerous” and “fraudulent,” he and those in his inner circle have a long history of using vote-by-mail. It’s clear what Trump really wants is to suppress the vote to help Republicans — he’s even said so himself.
DONALD TRUMP VOTED BY MAIL
New York Daily News: “Officials at the city’s Board of Elections said the President signed and dated an absentee ballot along with an application on Oct. 19, checking a box that said he would be absent from the city on Election Day.”
MELANIA TRUMP VOTED BY MAIL (First Lady)
South Florida Sun Sentinel: “So did First Lady Melania Trump, who presumably also voted for her husband.”
MIKE PENCE VOTED BY MAIL (Vice President)
New York Times: “Vice President Mike Pence voted absentee by mail for both the primary and general election in 2018.”
RONNA ROMNEY MCDANIEL VOTED BY MAIL (RNC Chair)
TargetSmart’s Tom Bonier: “Just a reminder that the President, First Lady, and Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee have all voted by mail already this year. They just don’t want to afford you the right to vote in a way that won’t risk your life.”
IVANKA TRUMP VOTED BY MAIL (Trump daughter)
New York Daily News: “Trump’s daughter Ivanka also botched her ballot. It was filled out correctly, but she didn’t mail it until Election Day—which was too late to be counted, officials said.”
LARRY KUDLOW VOTED BY MAIL (Trump Director of the United States National Economic Council)
TargetSmart’s Tom Bonier: “It appears the President’s chief economic advisor, Larry Kudlow, has voted by mail at least 13 times in the past 20 years. Will he vote in person in Connecticut in the June primary election, as his boss would want for all Americans?”
MARK ESPER VOTED BY MAIL (Acting United States Secretary of Defense)
TargetSmart’s Tom Bonier: “Secretary of Defense Mark Esper voted by mail in 2016, just as hundreds of thousands of military personnel serving overseas have done in the past and will need to do in the future. Surely the President won’t refuse them this right now?”
ALEX AZAR VOTED BY MAIL (Secretary of Health and Human Services)
New York Times: “Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services secretary, also voted absentee in 2018.”
WILBUR ROSS VOTED BY MAIL (Secretary of Commerce)
New York Times: “Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary, has voted absentee 15 times in the last 15 years, according to Florida’s voter file. Mr. Ross, like Mr. Trump, voted absentee for Florida’s primary last month.”
STEPHANIE GRISHAM VOTED BY MAIL (former White House Communications Director)
TargetSmart’s Tom Bonier: “Former WH Comms Director Stephanie Grisham appears to have voted by mail in the 2016 general election, a reasonable thing to do given that she was working on the Trump campaign at the time but something the President doesn’t want you to be able to do during this pandemic.”
JARED KUSHNER TRIED TO VOTE BY MAIL (Trump son-in law and White House Innovations Director)
New York Daily News: “Her husband, Jared Kushner, didn’t mail his back at all, according to the board.”