President Trump said he has the executive power to limit voting by mail out of concern for voter fraud.
During a Monday White House press conference, Trump said that he has a right to issue an executive order to limit mail-in voting but dismissed the action as unnecessary under present circumstances.
“I have the right to do it,” Trump responded when asked. “We haven’t gotten there yet, but we’ll see what happens.”
Trump also said his administration will sue Nevada after the state passed a bill this weekend that requires officials mail ballots to every registered voter in the state.
“We will be suing in Nevada. That’s already been taken care of. We’ll probably file something tomorrow,” he said.
Last week, Trump proposed delaying the November election out of concern that mail-in voting would lead to the “most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history,” echoing his prior skepticism on universal vote-by-mail. The day of the election is set by law and requires both houses in Congress to vote in favor of changing it.
Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans are skeptical of mail-in voting, with some saying it could allow for voter fraud. Democrats have brushed off those concerns, often stating voters should not risk contracting the coronavirus and should instead be given the ability to vote by mail.
During an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee last week, Attorney General William Barr said there is a “high risk” of potential voter fraud by utilizing universal mail-in voting, though he also said he has no expectation that the election will be “rigged.”
