Utah’s mail voting plan faces pushback from Washington

Utah plans to run its next election entirely through the mail, joining a small group of states that already do this. The state’s move, however, has sparked criticism from the nation’s top leader, who argues that such voting methods could be manipulated to favor one political side. President Trump, who once voted by mail himself, has publicly argued against the change in Utah, claiming—without proof—that it opens the door to cheating by opponents. The White House’s objection comes as Utah and a handful of other states allow every voter to send ballots through the mail. This system lets people vote from home instead of showing up to polling places. Critics of mail voting often claim it’s less secure, but election experts point out that these states have used this method for years with few reported issues.Utah’s top election official hasn’t commented on the president’s remarks, and the state’s Republican Party also stayed quiet. Meanwhile, Democrats in Utah quickly pushed back, calling the president’s statements an insult to voters in the state. They emphasized that federal interference in local voting rules could set a dangerous precedent. Trump has a history of questioning mail-in ballots, even though he used them himself earlier this year. His administration recently tried to tighten rules around mail voting nationwide, including a push to create a list of citizens eligible to vote in each state. Last month, he ordered an investigation into Maryland’s plan to send mail ballots to 500, 000 voters, a claim state leaders rejected as false.