Can Trump Vote As A Felon? His Participation In Florida Primary, Explained

It's hard to believe that a question like this is even necessary, but: Can a convicted felon vote if they are running for president? While the rule may be steeped in controversy, being convicted of a felony prevents some folks from voting in U.S. elections. So, how is it that former president and convicted felon Donald Trump was able to vote in the 2024 Florida primary? And, will he be able to cast a vote to secure his second term in November? The rules state that he can. On August 14, Donald Trump cast his vote for the Florida primary early. While leaving the polling facility, he declared that it was a "great honor to vote," per ABC News. And, this honor was granted to him thanks to Florida's voting regulations. 

Essentially, state governments make their own decisions about voting rules for convicted felons. In Florida, with the exception of certain very serious crimes, such as murder, folks who have been convicted of a felony are permitted to vote as long as they have completed any jail time, probation, fines, or other terms of their felony sentence accordingly. Yet, Florida also allows its rules to be overridden by those of the state in which the felon was convicted. In Trump's case, this was New York State, where someone convicted of a felony is free to vote as long as they are not currently incarcerated. Consequently, so long as nothing changes, the former president will be able to vote come Election Day as well. 

While Donald Trump's ability to vote in the Florida primary left many folks confused, it was the way he voted that had plenty of other people scratching their heads. The controversial politician voted early, a practice that he has a history of condemning. At a Michigan campaign rally just six months prior, Trump complained about mail-in voting, erroneously claiming, "Mail-in voting is totally corrupt. Get that through your head. It has to be," per ABC News. Furthermore, after losing the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, he infamously chalked the results up to widespread voter fraud. While the former president's wild accusations haven't been verified, they rely on the notion that voting in-person on Election Day is the only reliable method. 

Recently, however, Trump has done more than just flip-flop on this topic. In April, he took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to confirm, "ABSENTEE VOTING, EARLY VOTING, AND ELECTION DAY VOTING ARE ALL GOOD OPTIONS." In June, at a conference for the Faith and Freedom Coalition, Trump advised, "Do it early. Do it. Just do it. You've got to vote. And watch your vote, guard your vote, and follow your vote." His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., even appeared in an ad endorsing the practice in April, urging Pennsylvanians, "I need you to join the mail-in voting list today," (via YouTube). Evidently, the 2024 Trump campaign is now pushing voting by whatever means necessary, and the presidential hopeful is practicing what he is, at least for the moment, preaching.