Former President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind the Republican Party's new election strategy, which aims to increase voter turnout by encouraging early voting and implementing ballot harvesting measures.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) launched the "Bank Your Vote" campaign on June 8th, urging Republicans to cast their votes before Election Day. This initiative includes efforts to expand absentee voting, early in-person voting, and the practice of "ballot harvesting" in states where it is legal. Trump endorsed the strategy in a video released on Wednesday.
In the 43-second video posted on Twitter, Trump stated, "The RNC is leading the fight to help secure your vote in 2024. They're fighting bad Democrat laws, putting folks on the ground to serve as poll workers and poll watchers, and engaging attorneys to monitor every step of the voting process. Go to bankyourvote.com and sign up and commit to voting early." He also emphasized the need to defeat the "far Left" and criticized the Biden Administration.
The RNC's email announcing the strategy, received by the Daily Caller News Foundation, explained that BankYourVote.com would encourage voters to pledge to "Bank" their vote, activating digital reminders from the RNC regarding pre-Election Day voting options. The email outlined various steps the RNC plans to take, including maximizing and expanding the number of early in-person voting locations.
Trump's endorsement of this strategy marks a significant departure from his stance during the 2020 presidential election, where he and other top Republicans expressed concerns about ballot harvesting and absentee voting, citing potential electoral fraud. Trump even tweeted in April 2020, "GET RID OF BALLOT HARVESTING, IT IS RAMPANT WITH FRAUD. THE USA MUST HAVE VOTER I.D. THE ONLY WAY TO GET AN HONEST COUNT."
Trump later claimed that the 2020 election was "stolen" from him, partly due to the use of ballot harvesting tactics. As a result, several Republican-led states, including Florida, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, have since banned or restricted the practice. The RNC's email sought to highlight this distinction, stating, "In the courts, we will continue to fight against bad ballot harvesting laws..." in an effort to differentiate between Republican and Democratic states on the issue.
The video concludes with Trump reiterating his 2024 presidential campaign slogan, "We're going to win and we're going to Make America Great Again." Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also a 2024 presidential candidate, recorded a video to promote the strategy as well.
With Trump's endorsement, the Republican Party's "Bank Your Vote" campaign aims to mobilize voters early and secure their support in the upcoming elections. By embracing early voting and ballot harvesting, the party hopes to counter Democratic efforts and ensure a successful outcome in 2024.
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