Kentucky leaders react to Trump’s latest push to change voting

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — The midterm elections are coming up in just over a year, and the White House is planning to change the way people cast their votes.

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he will soon sign an executive order aimed at eliminating mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines, saying it would bring “honesty” to the 2026 midterm elections.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the move in a press briefing, saying, “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.”

The Constitution outlines some election rules, but most election laws are determined at the state level.

Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills, a Republican from Henderson, recently came out in support of the President’s proposed ban.

He told FOX 56 that the order will likely need to be litigated, but hopes it sparks more conversation about election security.

“We need to make sure that each state makes a law to where one person, one vote,” Sen. Mills said. “We’ll see where the executive order, how far that can actually move what they’re doing. But I think you’ll see that hopefully changing public sentiment on this and more folks like myself talking about the need to have secure voting will support this.”

Michon Lindstrom, Director of Communications for Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, the state’s chief election officer, noted that Kentucky already doesn’t allow mail-in voting beyond traditional absentee ballots.

Secretary Adams doubled down. In a statement to FOX 56, he said,

“Kentucky is not one of the states that conducts elections primarily by mail. Moreover, with funding from the first Trump administration and the General Assembly, Kentucky has replaced voting machines with paper ballots. Kentucky continues to receive national attention and praise for the security and accessibility of our elections.”

Sen. Mills added that he feels confident in Kentucky’s process, calling it one of the best in the country—but he expressed concerns about other states.

“You’re hearing stories and actually seeing documented situations where an apartment gets 20 ballots, and then that brings in this concept of ballot harvesting,” Mills said.

Nat Turner, director of communications for the Kentucky Democratic Party, sent a statement to FOX 56 in response to Mills’ support of the president’s order.

“Just a few years ago, Sen. Mills said he supported absentee ballots. Now, with a decisive statewide election loss under his belt, he is desperate for two things: a head-pat from the president and an excuse for why he and Daniel Cameron fell to Gov. Beshear and Lt. Gov. Coleman. Both the governor and Kentucky’s Republican secretary of state believe in the security of our elections, which ensure seniors and troops overseas can exercise their constitutional right to vote. Secure mail-in ballots are not a threat to democracy. Boot-licking Republicans are.”
Nat Turner, director of communications for the Kentucky Democratic Party

Mills emphasized that people with disabilities or work obligations that prevent them from voting in person would still be able to vote by mail through the secure portal to get an absentee ballot.