Trump says he wants to end mail-in voting

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – There’s a new push to end mail-in voting coming from the White House.

President Donald Trump is pledging to get rid of the popular election option because he argues it’s rife with fraud.

He says his lawyers are working on an executive order to stop mail in voting.

“You can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots. And we as a Republican party are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail in ballot,” said Trump.

The president argues mail in ballots make election fraud easier.

George Washington University law professor Paul Schiff Berman says not only is mail in voting totally legitimate the constitution gives Congress power to make federal election rules and states the power to run elections, not the president.

“The president really doesn’t have any constitutional power to make changes in the way states conduct elections,” said Berman.

Berman says it’s also unclear exactly what the president wants to do and whether he wants to eliminate absentee voting, commonly used by service members overseas, or whether he just wants to eliminate mail in voting for the general public.

The White House says election reform is a top priority for the president but acknowledges they may need help to make changes.

“I’m sure there will be many discussions with our friends on Capitol Hill and also our friends in state legislatures across the country to ensure that we’re protecting the Integrity of the vote for the American people,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Berman says the White House may face an uphill battle trying to pressure lawmakers to pass reforms but predicts the president’s rhetoric could have other consequences.

“One is that it may depress the mail in voting of his own constituents, which may actually hurt Republicans,” said Berman.

He says there’s a concern this undermines faith in the election system.

“That is, I think, tremendously destructive to democracy long term,” said Berman.