Latest news with #U.S.ElectionAssistanceCommission
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Roughly 30 percent of 2024 voters used mail ballot: Research
Nearly a third of the ballots cast in the presidential election last fall were submitted by mail, despite long-standing efforts from President Trump and other Republicans to discourage the controversial voting method, new research found. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) released a report this week that found while mail-in ballots didn't hit the record levels seen during the height of the pandemic four years earlier (at 43 percent), the percentage of voters who cast ballots by mail last fall (30.3 percent) remained well above prepandemic levels. Most voters in the 2024 general election cast their ballots in person, with 37.4 percent on Election Day and 35.2 percent through in-person early voting opportunities, the report found. However, more than 48 million mail-in votes were cast and counted in the 2024 presidential election, in addition to ballots sent in by members of the military and other overseas voters. 'State policies on the availability of mail voting have evolved rapidly over the past few election cycles,' the EAC's analysts wrote of the findings. Eight states and Washington, D.C., have adopted 'all' or 'mostly' mail elections, where ballots are sent to registered voters and can be returned via secure drop boxes or the U.S. Postal Service, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Additional states allow mail-in elections in some jurisdictions. The growing popularity of voting by mail also comes as Trump has targeted the ballot-casting method as a potential avenue for voter fraud. The president signed an executive order in March that would require all states and territories to count mail-in ballots on or before Election Day, as part of a broader election system overhaul that Trump backed after years of making unfounded claims about widespread voter fraud. 'Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic,' Trump wrote in the order, which a federal judge blocked last month. 'The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election.' Trump's executive order, rather than ending early voting, sought to rein in delays in finalizing vote tallies in some states, including California, which is the country's most populous state and has an all-mail voting system. California allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted up to seven days after polls close. Trump cited other countries that have more restrictions on when ballots can be counted, including those submitted by mail. 'While countries like Denmark and Sweden sensibly limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and do not count late-arriving votes regardless of the date of postmark, many American elections now feature mass voting by mail, with many officials accepting ballots without postmarks or those received well after Election Day,' he wrote. The EAC findings are based on surveys of election officials in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Roughly 30 percent of 2024 voters used mail ballot: Research
Nearly a third of the ballots cast in the presidential election last fall were submitted by mail, despite long-standing efforts from President Trump and other Republicans to discourage the controversial voting method, new research found. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) released a report this week that found that, while mail-in ballots didn't hit the record levels seen during the height of the pandemic four years earlier (43 percent), the percentage of voters who cast ballots by mail last fall (30.3 percent) remained well above pre-pandemic levels. Most voters in the 2024 general election cast their ballots in person, with 37.4 percent on Election Day and 35.2 percent through in-person early voting opportunities, the report found. However, more than 48 million mail-in votes were cast and counted in the 2024 presidential election, in addition to ballots sent in by members of the military and other overseas voters. 'State policies on the availability of mail voting have evolved rapidly over the past few election cycles,' the EAC's analysts wrote of the findings. Eight states and Washington, D.C., have adopted 'all' or 'mostly' mail elections, where ballots are sent to registered voters and can be returned via secure drop boxes or the U.S. Postal Service, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Additional states allow mail-in elections in some jurisdictions. The growing popularity of voting by mail also comes as Trump has targeted the ballot-casting method as a potential avenue for voter fraud. The president signed an executive order in March that would require all states and territories to count mail-in ballots on or before Election Day, as part of a broader election system overhaul that Trump backed after years of making unfounded claims about widespread voter fraud. 'Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic,' Trump wrote in the order, which a federal judge blocked last month. 'The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election.' Trump's executive order, rather than ending early voting, sought to rein in delays in finalizing vote tallies in some states, including California, which is the country's most populous state and has an all-mail voting system. California allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted up to seven days after polls close. Trump cited other countries that have more restrictions on when ballots can be counted, including those submitted by mail. 'While countries like Denmark and Sweden sensibly limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and do not count late-arriving votes regardless of the date of postmark, many American elections now feature mass voting by mail, with many officials accepting ballots without postmarks or those received well after Election Day,' he wrote. The EAC findings are based on surveys of elections officials in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
01-07-2025
- Politics
Voters favored casting early and mail ballots in last year's presidential election, report shows
ATLANTA -- Casting mailed ballots remained popular among voters in last year's presidential election, even as President Donald Trump has tried to undercut the process through a wide-ranging executive order. A report released Monday by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission also found a surge in early in-person voting and robust use of ballot drop boxes, which have been a target of conspiracy theorists since the 2020 election. The findings, based on data collected at the local level and submitted by states, illustrate the sustained popularity of alternate voting methods even as they have come under attack in recent years from Republicans. 'Notwithstanding the rhetoric from some, our election process continues to reflect the expectations voters have about where, when and how to vote,' said David Levine, a former county election official in Idaho who is now a senior fellow at the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. 'Once voters try voting before Election Day, they often continue to do so for future elections.' Overall, more than 158 million ballots were counted for the November 2024 presidential election, according to the report. Turnout was 3 percentage points lower than in 2020 but nearly 4 percentage points higher than during the 2016 presidential election. Roughly 30% of voters last fall used a mail ballot, a decline from the 43% who did so during the pandemic election in 2020 but higher than pre-pandemic elections, when mail ballots typically accounted for about 25% of votes cast. The report noted that four states – Democratic-leaning Washington and Republican-leaning Indiana, South Dakota and Utah — saw higher percentages of mail voting in 2024 than four years earlier. Trump has long complained, without providing evidence, that mail voting opens a pathway to fraud. The election executive order he signed in March, which is facing several lawsuits, targets mail voting by saying all ballots must be received by Election Day. Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico accept mailed ballots received after Election Day as long they are postmarked on or before that date. Oregon and Washington, where elections are conducted almost entirely by mail, filed their own lawsuit against the order fearing that tens of thousands of their voters could be disenfranchised if it is allowed to stand. During a news conference announcing the lawsuit, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said more than 300,000 ballots in his state arrived after Election Day in 2024. The report found the 2024 presidential election saw a drop in Election Day voting and a corresponding increase in early, in-person voting. Election Day voting declined from 49% in 2022 to roughly 37% in 2024, when 35% took advantage of voting early. Republican-dominated South Carolina and Democratic-leaning Delaware had the largest increases in early, in-person voting compared to four years ago. Republicans last year mounted a campaign to reverse years of conservative criticism of early voting methods and persuade their voters to cast ballots before Election Day, a strategy that helped Trump win a second term. Since Trump's loss in 2020, conservative activists and conspiracy theorists have zeroed in on ballot drop boxes as a potential source of fraud despite no evidence of that occurring in that year's elections. Some Republican-led states have since blocked their use or reduced their availability. But they remain popular in other parts of the country. The report found drop boxes were in use in 35 states plus the District of Columbia in 2024. Of those, 21 states reported a total of nearly 15 million mail ballots returned with the use of a drop box, accounting for about 45% of all mail ballots returned by voters. Of the states that reported data on ballot drop boxes for 2022 and 2024, four states reported double-digit increases in the percentage of mail ballots returned at drop boxes: the Democratic stronghold of California, Republican-leaning Kansas and Utah, and swing state Nevada.
Hamilton Spectator
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Voters favored casting early and mail ballots in last year's presidential election, report shows
ATLANTA (AP) — Casting mailed ballots remained popular among voters in last year's presidential election, even as President Donald Trump has tried to undercut the process through a wide-ranging executive order. A report released Monday by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission also found a surge in early in-person voting and robust use of ballot drop boxes, which have been a target of conspiracy theorists since the 2020 election. The findings, based on data collected at the local level and submitted by states, illustrate the sustained popularity of alternate voting methods even as they have come under attack in recent years from Republicans. 'Notwithstanding the rhetoric from some, our election process continues to reflect the expectations voters have about where, when and how to vote,' said David Levine, a former county election official in Idaho who is now a senior fellow at the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. 'Once voters try voting before Election Day, they often continue to do so for future elections.' Overall, more than 158 million ballots were counted for the November 2024 presidential election, according to the report. Turnout was 3 percentage points lower than in 2020 but nearly 4 percentage points higher than during the 2016 presidential election. Mail voting is popular despite rhetoric Roughly 30% of voters last fall used a mail ballot, a decline from the 43% who did so during the pandemic election in 2020 but higher than pre-pandemic elections, when mail ballots typically accounted for about 25% of votes cast. The report noted that four states – Democratic-leaning Washington and Republican-leaning Indiana, South Dakota and Utah — saw higher percentages of mail voting in 2024 than four years earlier. Trump has long complained , without providing evidence, that mail voting opens a pathway to fraud. The election executive order he signed in March, which is facing several lawsuits, targets mail voting by saying all ballots must be received by Election Day. Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico accept mailed ballots received after Election Day as long they are postmarked on or before that date. Oregon and Washington, where elections are conducted almost entirely by mail, filed their own lawsuit against the order fearing that tens of thousands of their voters could be disenfranchised if it is allowed to stand. During a news conference announcing the lawsuit, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said more than 300,000 ballots in his state arrived after Election Day in 2024. Popularity of early in-person voting surges The report found the 2024 presidential election saw a drop in Election Day voting and a corresponding increase in early, in-person voting. Election Day voting declined from 49% in 2022 to roughly 37% in 2024, when 35% took advantage of voting early. Republican-dominated South Carolina and Democratic-leaning Delaware had the largest increases in early, in-person voting compared to four years ago. Republicans last year mounted a campaign to reverse years of conservative criticism of early voting methods and persuade their voters to cast ballots before Election Day, a strategy that helped Trump win a second term. Ballot drop boxes used heavily where they are allowed Since Trump's loss in 2020 , conservative activists and conspiracy theorists have zeroed in on ballot drop boxes as a potential source of fraud despite no evidence of that occurring in that year's elections. Some Republican-led states have since blocked their use or reduced their availability. But they remain popular in other parts of the country. The report found drop boxes were in use in 35 states plus the District of Columbia in 2024. Of those, 21 states reported a total of nearly 15 million mail ballots returned with the use of a drop box, accounting for about 45% of all mail ballots returned by voters. Of the states that reported data on ballot drop boxes for 2022 and 2024, four states reported double-digit increases in the percentage of mail ballots returned at drop boxes: the Democratic stronghold of California, Republican-leaning Kansas and Utah, and swing state Nevada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
30-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Voters favored casting early and mail ballots in last year's presidential election, report shows
ATLANTA (AP) — Casting mailed ballots remained popular among voters in last year's presidential election, even as President Donald Trump has tried to undercut the process through a wide-ranging executive order. A report released Monday by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission also found a surge in early in-person voting and robust use of ballot drop boxes, which have been a target of conspiracy theorists since the 2020 election. The findings, based on data collected at the local level and submitted by states, illustrate the sustained popularity of alternate voting methods even as they have come under attack in recent years from Republicans. 'Notwithstanding the rhetoric from some, our election process continues to reflect the expectations voters have about where, when and how to vote,' said David Levine, a former county election official in Idaho who is now a senior fellow at the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. 'Once voters try voting before Election Day, they often continue to do so for future elections.' Overall, more than 158 million ballots were counted for the November 2024 presidential election, according to the report. Turnout was 3 percentage points lower than in 2020 but nearly 4 percentage points higher than during the 2016 presidential election. Mail voting is popular despite rhetoric Roughly 30% of voters last fall used a mail ballot, a decline from the 43% who did so during the pandemic election in 2020 but higher than pre-pandemic elections, when mail ballots typically accounted for about 25% of votes cast. The report noted that four states – Democratic-leaning Washington and Republican-leaning Indiana, South Dakota and Utah — saw higher percentages of mail voting in 2024 than four years earlier. Trump has long complained, without providing evidence, that mail voting opens a pathway to fraud. The election executive order he signed in March, which is facing several lawsuits, targets mail voting by saying all ballots must be received by Election Day. Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico accept mailed ballots received after Election Day as long they are postmarked on or before that date. Oregon and Washington, where elections are conducted almost entirely by mail, filed their own lawsuit against the order fearing that tens of thousands of their voters could be disenfranchised if it is allowed to stand. During a news conference announcing the lawsuit, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said more than 300,000 ballots in his state arrived after Election Day in 2024. Popularity of early in-person voting surges The report found the 2024 presidential election saw a drop in Election Day voting and a corresponding increase in early, in-person voting. Election Day voting declined from 49% in 2022 to roughly 37% in 2024, when 35% took advantage of voting early. Republican-dominated South Carolina and Democratic-leaning Delaware had the largest increases in early, in-person voting compared to four years ago. Republicans last year mounted a campaign to reverse years of conservative criticism of early voting methods and persuade their voters to cast ballots before Election Day, a strategy that helped Trump win a second term. Ballot drop boxes used heavily where they are allowed Since Trump's loss in 2020, conservative activists and conspiracy theorists have zeroed in on ballot drop boxes as a potential source of fraud despite no evidence of that occurring in that year's elections. Some Republican-led states have since blocked their use or reduced their availability. But they remain popular in other parts of the country. The report found drop boxes were in use in 35 states plus the District of Columbia in 2024. Of those, 21 states reported a total of nearly 15 million mail ballots returned with the use of a drop box, accounting for about 45% of all mail ballots returned by voters. Of the states that reported data on ballot drop boxes for 2022 and 2024, four states reported double-digit increases in the percentage of mail ballots returned at drop boxes: the Democratic stronghold of California, Republican-leaning Kansas and Utah, and swing state Nevada.
