President Donald Trump has called for a Department of Justice investigation after Maryland election officials confirmed that a vendor error led to hundreds of thousands of voters receiving incorrect mail-in primary ballots.
The controversy erupted after the Maryland State Board of Elections revealed that approximately 500,000 ballots would need to be reissued due to a printing mix-up involving party-specific primary ballots. Officials stated that because they could not identify which voters received incorrect ballots, replacement ballots would be sent to all potentially affected voters ahead of the state’s June 23 primary election.
Trump reacted sharply on Truth Social, claiming the situation involved “illegal mail-in ballots” and questioning the handling of the original ballots. The president alleged that officials were unable to account for the first batch of ballots, reigniting his long-running criticism of mail voting systems in the United States.
Maryland election authorities pushed back against claims of voter fraud, insisting that strict safeguards are in place to prevent duplicate voting. According to the State Board of Elections, each ballot return envelope contains a unique identifier that ensures only one ballot per voter can be accepted and counted.
Officials also clarified that the original ballots would be voided and separated from the election process, while only the corrected replacement ballots would be eligible for counting. The printing company responsible for the error is expected to cover the cost of reissuing the ballots.
Trump’s demand for a DOJ investigation marks another escalation in his ongoing campaign against mail-in voting, an issue that has remained central to his election integrity claims since the 2020 presidential race. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order aimed at tightening restrictions on mail voting procedures nationwide.
The president also criticized Maryland Governor Wes Moore in his online post, calling the Democratic governor “corrupt,” although state officials have not responded publicly to the accusation.
Representatives for the Maryland State Administrator of Elections, Governor Moore’s office, and the Department of Justice had not issued formal comments at the time of reporting.