Trump claims Maryland mailed ‘illegal ballots’ in 2026 election dispute, officials say error led to replacement ballots, not fraud
President Donald Trump on Monday accused Maryland officials, including Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, of improperly sending hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots in what he alleged was an effort to help Democrats win elections. He made the claim on Truth Social and repeated it later at a White House event focused on health care affordability, saying he would ask the Justice Department to investigate the matter.
The accusation followed a vendor error involving the state’s mail-in voting process ahead of Maryland’s 2026 gubernatorial primary. Election officials said the issue led to some voters receiving incorrect primary ballots and required the distribution of replacement ballots to ensure accuracy.
In his post, Trump claimed that “illegal mail-in ballots” were sent to voters and suggested widespread irregularities, including assertions that the process disadvantaged Republican candidates. He also said he believed the matter was orchestrated to favor Democrats. State officials rejected those claims, saying no illegal ballots were distributed and that the problem stemmed from a printing and mailing error by a contractor.
The Maryland State Board of Elections said affected voters will receive replacement ballots and that any incorrect ballots already returned or submitted will be voided. Officials also instructed voters who still have the original ballots not to use them. Election authorities emphasized that safeguards, including unique identifiers on ballot envelopes, prevent anyone from voting more than once.
Election administrators said the replacement process is being carried out because the vendor could not reliably determine which voters received correct materials and which did not. All potentially affected voters are being notified through mail, email, and text messages where available, and replacement ballots are being sent in clearly marked envelopes to distinguish them from originals.
Officials added that mail-in voting remains secure and that ballots are verified against voter records before being counted. They also noted that Maryland Republicans and Democrats vote in separate primaries, meaning party nomination contests are conducted independently ahead of the general election.
State election officials and the governor’s office both rejected Trump’s characterization of the situation, calling it inaccurate and misleading. They said the issue does not confer an advantage to any party and stressed that election administration is handled by the bipartisan State Board of Elections, not the governor’s office.
Election experts also noted that the safeguards in place make it impossible for voters to cast multiple counted ballots and said the error is unlikely to have a significant effect on upcoming elections, particularly given the timing and the corrective measures underway.
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