Congressional Republicans Advance Strict Voter ID Measures While Treading Carefully on Mail-In Voting Bans

By Mark Swanson | Wednesday, 18 February 2026 11:35 AM EST

Congressional Republicans are charging ahead with a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s election system, pushing stricter voter ID standards and proof-of-citizenship requirements. However, they are proceeding more carefully when it comes to President Donald Trump’s call to sharply limit mail-in voting.

Trump has long warned about the risks of widespread mail balloting and renewed his criticism this week. “Why would you want mail-in ballots if you know it’s corrupt?” Trump asked reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. “It’s a corrupt system.”

While Republicans share the president’s concerns about election integrity, some are reluctant to eliminate mail voting entirely, noting that many of their own voters rely on it.

“I support the use of mail-in voting,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. “The idea that some states just mail out ballots without any requests is absurd, but the use of mail-in balloting, I do not have an objection.”

Many GOP lawmakers say the focus should be on tightening security. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who is running for governor, pointed to Florida as a model.

“In Florida, we treat ballots like they’re evidence in a trial,” Donalds said. “Other states need to follow that.”

“I think that’s what the White House is referencing. You just can’t have ballots out there in the ether.”

The House last week passed the SAVE America Act, which includes proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration and new photo ID rules for casting ballots.

The legislation, however, does not directly address mail voting — even though Trump posted days earlier on his social media: “NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!)”

Behind the scenes, the White House urged lawmakers to include language restricting mail voting, but concerns about maintaining support in the narrowly divided House led Republicans to leave it out.

Many GOP lawmakers say Trump’s primary target is “universal” vote-by-mail systems in states such as California and Oregon, not absentee ballots for legitimate reasons.

“We have to be very cautious about mail-in ballot voting,” Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., said. “But I think if we get the registration process correct, then that’ll fix a lot of this.”

Another bill advancing in the House, the Make Elections Great Again Act, would ban universal vote-by-mail and crack down on ballot harvesting while still allowing voters to request absentee ballots.

“If you’re sick and you can’t get to the polling [place], he wants you to have a ballot. If you’re a military member, he wants you to have a ballot,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said of Trump.

“Who he doesn’t want to have a ballot is the illegal alien that registered or even a lawful alien who got a driver’s license to be registered to vote and get a mail-in ballot.”

Mark Swanson has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.