DENVER – Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has vowed to fight a potential executive order from President Donald Trump that would eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines.
On Monday morning, President Trump made a post on social media that reads in part, "I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we’re at it, Highly “Inaccurate,” Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election. We are now the only Country in the World that uses Mail-In Voting. All others gave it up because of the MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD ENCOUNTERED."
National Politics
Trump says he will lead effort to eliminate mail-in voting
The president has not presented any evidence of widespread voter fraud using mail-in ballots.
“Donald Trump is trying to grab power ahead of the '26 election and says he's going to ban vote by mail," Griswold said. "This is a direct attack on democracy. The Constitution very clearly states that states oversee elections, not Trump. We will challenge any unlawful executive order that he issues, and we're going to win. I will always fight to protect our elections, and I have stopped Trump from rolling back mail ballots before, and I'll do it this time, too."
Griswold said both Democratic and Republican voters use mail-in ballots.
“You just have to look at Colorado's election turnouts in 2024 in the general election, 92% of Republican voters chose to use their mail ballots, and that's with early voting, a lot of voting centers all over the state and same-day voter registration," Griswold said. "So I would say this still is a bipartisan issue, and this isn't Republicans versus Democrats."
Griswold said if mail-in ballots were eliminated, voter disenfranchisement would be widespread.
“Getting rid of mail ballots is going to disenfranchise millions of Americans, including Coloradans," Griswold said. "Look, we still have the ability to vote in person in our state, but Coloradans overwhelmingly choose to use the mail ballot because they're safe and they're secure, and if we are actually concerned about election security, well, our foreign adversaries, including Russia, cannot hack a piece of paper. That's what a mail ballot is. This isn't about election security. This isn't about accessibility. It's about a power grab."
Denver Clerk & Recorder Paul D. López issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s announcement:
“Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution grants the states the authority to establish the times, places, and manner of holding elections. Not the president.Trump’s recent rant to call for the elimination of mail-in voting is both illegal and unconstitutional and would drag our country backward, stripping away rights that generations of Americans fought and died for.In Colorado, mail-in voting is secure, accessible, and trusted by every party — including Republicans, who made big gains with it in 2024. This isn’t about security — it’s about power. In the United States of America, WE the people elect our leaders, not a dictator.”
