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Do Mail-In Ballots Require Extra Postage?

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has attempted to restrict mail-in ballots, often makes misleading claims about the voting method.

by Rae Deng, Oct. 21, 2016

A worker's hands are seen placing a stack of mail-in ballots into a Postal Service container.

Image courtesy of Justin Sullivan on Getty Images

As the 2026 midterm election season gets underway, state election officials are still sending ballots to voters amid a court fight over U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order attempting to restrict mail-in voting.

Trump has railed against mail-in ballots since he began falsely claiming he lost the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden due to fraud — even though Trump has a history of voting by mail, including during his second term.

Snopes has fact-checked numerous claims the president and his supporters have made about the security of mail-in ballots, as well as claims about how to vote by mail and various instances of supposed vote-by-mail fraud.

Here are 18 rumors we've looked into about mail-in ballots:

By Rae Deng

Rae Deng specializes in government/politics and is based in Tacoma, Wash.

A white envelope with a "First Class" stamp on a background of "I Voted" stickers.

Why adding a stamp to your ballot won't make it first-class mail

Sept. 4, 2026

The claim spread as the Trump administration sought to implement new federal regulations on mail ...

A close up photo of an official election mail envelope. Written in red on the envelope are the words: "OFFICIAL VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTING MATERIAL"

USPS proposal requires states to give voter lists to federal government for mail ballot delivery

July 27, 2026

Multiple lawsuits have put the proposal — and its potential implementation in the 2026 midterm e ...

The official ballot for Los Angeles County, California, and its official return envelope, on a table.

'Tens of thousands' of mail-in ballots for Spencer Pratt weren't rejected in LA. Here's the proof

June 12, 2026

The reality TV personality finished third in the city's 2026 mayoral primary.

U.S. President Donald Trump, a white man wearing a suit, appears to be talking while in front of a background featuring American flags.

Did Trump vote by mail in Florida election after years of unfounded fraud claims?

March 26, 2026

An online voter record confirmed the president cast a mail-in ballot for a House seat that Democ ...

Trump said US is only country that allows mail-in ballots. Here's the truth

Feb. 23, 2026

At least 31 other nations allow in-country postal voting, either for all voters or for some.

Unpacking claim Maine resident found hundreds of ballots in Amazon package

Oct. 8, 2025

Photos purportedly showing the alleged Amazon package included stacks of ballots next to regular ...

Two stacks of paper ballots are in a basket.

Why Is Milwaukee Recounting 30,000 Absentee Ballots?

Nov. 6, 2024

Human error, not machine error, was to blame.

Delayed Vote Totals Aren't a Sure Sign of Widespread Election Fraud

Nov. 5, 2024

One X user claimed Democrats would "use those extra days to try to steal" the election.

Mail-In Voting Is Banned in All These Countries?

April 3, 2024

We looked closely at the voting methods allowed in each country.

Were 10M Mail-In Ballots 'Lost' During California's 2022 Midterms?

Jan. 20, 2023

The Public Interest Legal Group has been pushing the same misleading claims for years.

Was an Indiana Woman Arrested for Pre-Marking Ballots in 2020?

Aug. 11, 2020

While both are election crimes, there is a difference between modifying mail-in ballots and modi ...

Did US Only Have 143 Absentee-Ballot Fraud Convictions Over 20 Years?

Aug. 10, 2020

However you slice these numbers, documented examples of such fraud appear to be rare.

Did USPS Tell Americans to Send Mail-In Ballots 2 Weeks in Advance?

July 29, 2020

The USPS does recommend requesting ballots at least 15 days in advance and mailing them at least ...

Older man voting at elections, hand putting ballot paper in ballot box.

Were 83 Ballots Fraudulently Mailed to One Calif. Home?

May 28, 2020

Social media posts in May 2020 claimed the incident was an example of the ballot-casting system' ...

Do Mail-In Ballots Increase Risk of Voter Fraud?

May 26, 2020

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly made the claim as states scrambled to establish new elect ...

Has President Trump Ever Voted by Mail?

May 21, 2020

As Trump criticized voting by mail, some social media users shined a light on the president's ow ...

Did 28 Million Mail-In Ballots Go 'Missing' in Last Four Elections?

May 21, 2020

"Conflating voters choosing not to cast their ballot with 'missing' ballots is a fundamental fla ...

Do Mail-In Ballots Require Extra Postage?

Oct. 21, 2016

If you're submitting a ballot by mail, you might need additional postage (and the directions pri ...

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