Trump called ballots ‘inherently corrupt’, then voted by mail in Florida primary 2026

US President Donald Trump cast a ballot via mail in the Florida primary on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, despite his frequent criticisms of mail-in voting as being vulnerable to fraud and his calls for stricter restrictions on such voting methods. According to voting records, Trump submitted his ballot in late July and it was returned for the primary election on Tuesday.

The Republican primary features a competitive field of candidates vying to challenge the term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, with Congressman Byron Donalds currently leading the polls and Trump's endorsement. If elected in November, Donalds would become the first Black governor of Florida. Trump's competitors in the race include state Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, former State House Speaker Paul Renner, and businessman James Fishback, who has faced accusations of holding racist views.

The White House confirmed that exceptions exist under the SAVE America Act for certain situations, including illness, disability, military service, or travel. The Act mandates proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and requires photo identification for casting ballots. Despite his public denunciations of mail-in voting, Trump has voted by mail in the past, including in the 2020 election and a Florida special election, suggesting a pattern of using the method he publicly criticizes.

Trump reportedly cited India's voter ID system as an example of a reliable voting process, noting that less than 1% of voters in India's 2024 elections used mail-in ballots and that every voter had to present a valid photo ID. He has urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which seeks to strengthen voter identification and citizenship requirements, as well as impose restrictions on mail voting.