GOP Shifts Stance on Mail-In Voting Amid Election Challenges

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Marta Moehring, a Nebraska Republican, prefers in-person voting and distrusts mail-in ballots, a sentiment echoed by many Republicans after former President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. However, the GOP is now encouraging mail-in voting, aiming to “correct the narrative” and appeal to voters like Moehring.

This change comes after Trump and other Republicans spread doubts about mail-in voting, which they blamed for Trump’s 2020 defeat. Despite this, mail-in voting was once as popular among Republicans as Democrats, and GOP strategists see it as a way to secure votes before Election Day.

The 2022 elections highlighted the cost of discouraging mail-in voting. In Arizona, three Republican candidates who promoted Trump’s false claims about mail-in voting lost their races after an election machine failure caused long lines at polling places.

Now, Republicans are embracing all legal voting methods to increase turnout. Lara Trump, the chair of the Republican National Committee, has pledged to use every legal tactic available, including “ballot harvesting,” where people submit mail-in ballots for others.

Turning Point Action, a pro-Trump group, is launching a $100 million campaign to reach infrequent voters in swing states, including promoting mail-in voting. Despite this, the RNC continues to file lawsuits against aspects of mail-in voting.

Trump himself has begun endorsing mail-in voting, stating that “absentee voting, early voting and Election Day voting are all good options.” However, the mixed messages may make it difficult to quickly increase Republican mail-in voting.

In Pennsylvania, a recent push to promote mail-in voting among Republicans was deemed successful, but the overall share of mail-in ballots from Republicans remained the same as in 2020. Despite this, some Republicans, like Bill Bretz, chairman of the Westmoreland County Republican Party, have noticed a gradual acceptance of mail-in voting among conservative voters.