Montpelier, VT – On Monday, August 18th President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform that he plans to issue an Executive Order eliminating vote-by-mail and the use of “voting machines” in next year’s Midterm Elections. Similar to the “election integrity” Executive Order he issued back in March of this year, this statement promotes baseless myths and outright falsehoods about elections, proposes significant barriers to voting access, and represents an unprecedented and illegal overreach of Federal authority.
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas has issued the following statement in response:
“The President appears to be confused about several key facts when it comes to American elections.
For one, he says in his post that when it comes to election administration, states must do what he tells us. As I detailed in a statement just last week, the U.S. Constitution gives the states control over elections and gives only Congress the power to pass laws regulating elections; it does not empower the president or executive branch to do so (U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 4). This means that, in the absence of a law passed by Congress, state law dictates all matters around elections. Either way, our country is not set up to operate by executive fiat – our founding fathers were quite clear about that.
Mail-in ballots are not only a secure method of voting, they also greatly increase voter turnout by allowing more voters to cast their ballot from the comfort of their home, removing the constraints of work and caretaking schedules and transportation. While I, of course, love to get out and vote at the polls on Election Day, many Vermonters find it more convenient and accessible to vote by mail – and that shows in the numbers. Since Vermont’s first universal vote by mail general election in 2020, we’ve seen more than 70% of Vermonters vote in presidential election years – and the majority of those votes were mail-in ballots. I’ve heard personally from members of all three of Vermont’s political parties who’ve told me how important it is for them to be able to receive and cast their ballot from home. I want more voters casting their ballots in elections, not less. This strengthens our democracy.
Now, as for the ‘voting machines’ that the president referenced, it’s unclear whether he’s referencing the vote counting machines, known as ‘tabulators,’ used in every Vermont district that has more than 1,000 voters. He did mention that he likes paper ballots – I do too. Per state law, we use paper ballots and those are kept for 22 months after a federal election. In truth, 98% of Americans cast paper ballots. Our secure, air-gapped tabulators are faster and more accurate than hand-counting.
As Vermont’s Chief Elections Officer, I won’t tolerate any effort to undermine the integrity and accessibility of our democracy. To the extent that the President seeks to overstep his authority, I will continue to work with Attorney General Clark to protect Vermonters’ rights. The Attorney General and I will also continue to coordinate with other states that are committed to preserving the constitutional balance of power.”
The Secretary of State’s Elections “Myths v. Facts” page can be found here: https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/election-info-resources/myth-v-fact/
An overview video about election security in Vermont, created with Town Clerks from across the state, can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2TKdTs0o6I