US President Donald Trump has encouraged his supporters to vote by mail or cast early ballots in the upcoming November 3 congressional midterm elections, marking a noticeable shift in tone after years of criticising postal voting as fraud-prone.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before leaving for a campaign rally in Nebraska, Trump stated that supporters could utilise mail-in voting, though he reiterated a personal preference for in-person voting.
"They can vote by mail if they want, because we seem to have no choice because a lot of people want to vote by mail, but a lot of very good people also want to vote in-person," Reuters cited Trump saying. "You can do either."
The remarks followed a weekend campaign video in which Trump urged Republicans to utilise all available voting methods, including early and mail-in options.
Republican strategists have previously raised concerns that discouraging postal voting could depress turnout among rural conservative voters who face long travel distances to polling stations.
The shift comes as the administration's efforts to restrict mail-in voting rules were halted by the Supreme Court in September, which declined to permit the Postal Service to enforce tighter regulations.
The policy shift arrives as polling indicates a challenging electoral environment for Republicans entering the final weeks of the campaign.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Trump's approval rating at 32%, with registered voters favouring Democrats over Republicans by 44% to 37% for the midterm contests. - October 6, 2026
