Trump’s Fight Against Voting by Mail, Explained

Voting by mail, which began in the U.S. during the Civil War when soldiers were away from home, has become increasingly popular in recent elections. A surge in mail-in ballots is expected this November as Americans avoid polling places for fear of contracting the coronavirus. But President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term, and others in the Republican Party are resistant to making vote-by-mail an option for all — with Trump going so far as to suggest delaying the election until the pa