Trump Calls Early Voting ‘Stupid Stuff’ Moments After Urging Supporters To Vote Early

Topline

Former President Donald Trump on Monday urged his supporters in Pennsylvania to vote as early as possible, before immediately lashing out at the process of early voting and it for his loss to President Joe Biden in the state—alluding to baseless claims about election fraud in 2020.

Key Facts

Speaking at a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Trump said he was “here today because early voting begins in Pennsylvania over the next two weeks” before urging “each and every one” of his supporters to go out and vote.

“Go out, make a plan to vote early, vote absentee or vote in-person on election day,” Trump said.

Trump, however, quickly pivoted to attacking the state’s early voting procedure: “Now we have this stupid stuff where you can vote 45 days early…I wonder what the hell happens during…[those] 45 [days],” he said.

The former president then alluded to his baseless claims about the 2020 elections, saying: “What happened the last time was disgraceful, including right here…But we're not going to let it happen again.”

In his rally speech, Trump acknowledged the importance of winning the battleground state: “If we win Pennsylvania, we win the whole thing… It’s very simple.”

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Big Number

1.5 points. That is the size of Vice President Kamala Harris’ polling lead over Trump in Pennsylvania, according to FiveThirtyEight’s weighted average of polls in the state.

Key Background

Trump’s conflicting comments on early voting come at a time when the Republican party has been trying to encourage supporters to embrace the process and cast their ballots before election day. Several key Trump allies in Congress, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., have in recent months urged Republican voters to take advantage of early and mail-in voting—to cut into a key advantage for Democrats. The GOP is also running an initiative called “Swamp the Vote” to encourage voters to cast their ballots before November 5. Speaking at a rally in North Carolina on Monday, Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, said he was a “firm believer that we ought to have Election Day in this country and not election season” but urged supporters to take advantage of all pathways, including “early voting, vote by mail and voting on Election Day.”

Further Reading

Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Trump Takes Three States In Latest Survey (Forbes)

Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Harris Leads In 2 Major Surveys—But Razor-Thin Race In Swing States (Forbes)