vote from home
California’s mail-in voting system has also been a particular target of President Trump.
Voting by mail has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, California passed a law that automatically mails a ballot to every registered voter.
In 2024 alone, more than 80% of the state’s voters voted by mail.
Moreles, the Santa Clara registrar, said the percentage is even higher in his county. More than 90% of voters in his jurisdiction vote by mail.
His county processed more mail-in ballots in the last general election than the entire state of Texas. Texas accepted about 342,000 mail-in ballots, while Santa Clara County shipped more than 1 million votes.
Moreles said this widespread use suggests voters do not share President Trump’s skepticism about the postal system. “They like the accessibility of it. I’m sure they believe it’s safe,” he says.
But mail-in votes may continue to trickle in even after the election ends, and the number of votes cast could fluctuate in the days or weeks after polling stations close. In California, all mail-in ballots are valid as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and must be received within seven days of voting.
President Trump has pointed to these long-term fluctuations in vote counts and tallies as evidence of fraud.
Some Democratic lawmakers are also calling for the process to be expedited. By law, elections must be certified within 30 days of the election. But Moreles argued there are benefits to not rushing.
“For people who live here and are used to it, it makes sense and for many people it’s a relief,” Moreles said. “It makes intuitive sense to people to take the time to get it right.”
Still, on August 24, the Supreme Court opened the door to further uncertainty surrounding mail-in voting.
In a 6-3 decision, the court’s conservative majority allowed the Trump administration to begin enforcing a March executive order imposing new restrictions on mail-in voting.
The order could impact both the design of mail-in ballots and who is eligible to receive them.
But state officials are questioning the feasibility of redesigning or reprinting ballots with so little time left before midterm elections. Early voting in some states begins as early as September.
Some speculated that the legal battle could cause confusion or discourage voters from relying on mail-in voting.
California announced Wednesday that it will co-lead a group of 24 state attorneys general to file a new lawsuit seeking to block the executive order.
“Donald Trump doesn’t run elections. States do, and his latest attacks on democracy are proof of how weak he has become,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement accompanying the lawsuit.
“California will continue to lead the way in defending our democracy, using every tool at our disposal and every moment of today. This perilous moment in history demands of us to do the same.”
A second court order suspending parts of President Trump’s mail-in voting plan remains in effect.
