In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has taken a stand in favor of early voting, rallying Republican voters to take advantage of this option before Election Day.
Trump announced the launch of “Swamp The Vote USA” in partnership with Trump Force 47 and the Republican National Committee’s grassroots campaign. This initiative targets key states and districts to encourage the use of absentee ballots, mail-in ballots, and early in-person voting.
“Republicans must win and we will use every possible tool to beat the Democrats who are ruining our country,” Trump declared in a press release.
“No matter how you choose to cast your vote, whether it’s by absentee ballot, mail-in ballot, early in-person voting or on Election Day, we promise to protect your vote. We will ensure that your ballot is secure and your voice is heard,” he added.
“We need to overwhelm the radical Democrats with a massive turnout,” said the presumptive Republican nominee. “The only way to win is to swamp them with votes so they can’t cheat. Make a plan, register, and vote any way you can. We need your vote.”
For a long time, Trump has expressed skepticism about the validity of early voting, absentee ballots, and mail-in voting. He strongly opposed these methods during the 2020 election and in the months following, blaming his loss in the last presidential election on these ballots.
Just three months ago, at a rally in Michigan attended by his supporters, Trump continued to denounce mail-in voting as “totally corrupt”.
However, Trump’s announcement on Tuesday shows a change in his stance. In April, he made a sudden shift in his messaging, stating in a post on Truth Social: “ABSENTEE VOTING, EARLY VOTING, AND ELECTION DAY VOTING ARE ALL GOOD OPTIONS. REPUBLICANS MUST MAKE A PLAN, REGISTER, AND VOTE!”
Due to Trump’s previous skepticism towards these voting methods, Democrats have gained an unfair advantage over the GOP in early and mail-in voting. This trend coincides with changing voter preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic when many voters opted for early voting.
Census data shows that 69% of voters either mailed their ballots or voted early in the 2020 election.
Yet, investing resources in early voting initiatives could turn the tide for Republicans. Recent voting data from Virginia showed that Governor Glenn Youngkin’s efforts to encourage Republican voters to participate in early voting during the state’s off-year election might have contributed to GOP victories in competitive races.
According to an analysis by the Virginia Public Access Project, Republicans outperformed their statewide average in nine out of twelve districts identified as highly competitive based on their partisan lean, including seven House districts and four Senate districts.
Source: State of the Union
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