In the lead-up to California’s primaries, former President Donald Trump has once again questioned the integrity of the state’s election processes. During a recent interview on Fox News, Trump claimed that California’s elections are fraudulent, specifically targeting mail-in voting. He stated, “Their elections are a fraud; their mail-in votes are a fraud.”

California’s Voting Options

Despite Trump’s assertions, California’s election officials maintain that voters have the option to vote either by mail or in person. According to the office of California’s elections chief, all active registered voters receive a mail-in ballot, but they are not required to use it. Voters can choose to cast their ballots at polling places if they prefer.

Santa Clara County, for example, explains that under the Voter’s Choice Act, every voter automatically receives a Vote by Mail ballot but can opt to vote in person at a vote center. In the 2024 general election, approximately 3.1 million ballots were cast at in-person voting locations, accounting for about 19% of the total ballots cast in the state.

Responses to Trump’s Claims

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s claims on social media, emphasizing that Californians have multiple options for casting their ballots, including voting in person at centers equipped with voting booths.

Trump also claimed that no other country uses mail-in voting due to fraud. However, countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia allow mail-in voting, and experts note that while mail-in ballots may have slightly higher fraud rates than in-person voting, the overall incidence of fraud remains low.

In previous statements, Trump has made other claims about California’s elections, including an assertion that if “Jesus Christ” counted the votes, he would have won the state. California, a Democratic stronghold, has consistently voted against Trump by significant margins in past elections.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.