Trump Tells Supporters They Can Vote by Mail Ahead of November 3 Midterms, Reversing Years of Fraud Claims

President Donald Trump is now telling supporters they can vote by mail in the Nov. 3 congressional midterms, a notable change after years of portraying mail-in ballots as vulnerable to fraud, according to Reuters.

Trump spoke to reporters at the White House on Monday before leaving for a rally in Nebraska. He said he still prefers in-person voting, but added that supporters who want to cast ballots by mail should do so. The message followed a campaign video posted over the weekend urging Republicans to vote early, by mail, or in person on Election Day.

A shift with the midterms weeks away

Reuters reported that it was not immediately clear what prompted the change in tone. Trump has repeatedly made false claims that fraud, including through mail ballots, caused his 2020 election defeat. His administration also sought tighter mail-voting rules ahead of the midterms, but the Supreme Court in September declined to allow the Postal Service to enforce the new rules.

Some Republicans have previously worried that discouraging mail voting could hurt turnout among rural conservative voters who live far from polling places. The new guidance removes that tension for Trump supporters who prefer to return ballots early.

Polls show a difficult closing stretch

The shift comes as Republicans face a challenging national environment. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Monday put Trump’s approval rating at 32%, matching September’s record low in that survey, according to Reuters. Registered voters preferred Democrats over Republicans 44% to 37% on the midterm ballot question, and Democrats led among independents as well, with a large share still undecided.

With control of Congress at stake, both parties are now pressing supporters to lock in votes early rather than wait for Election Day.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters.