Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is proposing a clamp-down on ballot harvesting, a move that could help ease tensions with the White House over his inability to pass the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act.
The majority leader said the practice was a “real problem” that needed to be addressed when asked Wednesday whether Republicans would add a ban on voting by mail to the SAVE Act, as Trump requested earlier this week.
“This ballot harvesting thing, to me, is a real threat and a temptation to fraud in elections,” Thune told reporters.
Thuen said Senate Republicans were looking at ways to “accommodate” the president’s request and would be working through proposals with the White House.
Thirty-five states allow voters to designate someone else to return a ballot, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In many cases, that person must be a family member or caregiver. But lax laws in states such as California have long drawn the ire of Republicans who say the practice invites fraudulent activity.
In terms of voting by mail, Republicans have previously expressed reservations about a total ban, and Thune said Wednesday that states have proven they can process absentee ballots securely.
“As a general rule, if people are requesting ballots, and they’ve got legitimate reasons for requesting them, I think a lot of states use that process and use it pretty well,” he added.
But Thune’s comments suggest that congressional leaders are worried that Trump’s maximalist demands could further divide Republicans on the SAVE Act and want to tailor their proposals to something that can win virtually unanimous support.
Thune has faced weeks of backlash from the Make America Great Again coalition over his conference’s refusal to use a talking filibuster to pass the legislation, which requires ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register to vote.
In the House, Republicans have been united on the bill and passed it twice without similar controversy. But the addition of a ban on mail ballots could weaken support in a chamber where Republicans can only afford to lose a single vote.
For now, Thune said congressional leadership is asking the White House to “clarify” what sort of proposal it hopes Congress to pass.
“If somebody requests a ballot, that’s one thing. If they’re just shipping ballots out to people, that’s a different thing,” Thune said.
MAGA RIGHT SOURS ON THUNE OVER SAVE ACT FIGHT
On social media, Trump has stated that he wants a near-total ban, with exceptions for service members, travel, illness, or disability. On Wednesday, the president told reporters that Thune needed to be a “leader” and find the votes necessary to pass the SAVE Act.
“He’s got to be a leader. He’s the leader, he’s got to get them,” Trump said as he departed the White House for a trip to Ohio.
