Elon Musk Accused Of Hypocrisy After Calling Mail-In Voting ‘Insane’ Despite Repeatedly Voting By Mail

Elon Musk has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting as a potential source of election fraud. However, public records reveal that Musk himself has used mail voting in the past, raising questions of hypocrisy in his stance.

According to California voting records, Musk cast mail-in ballots in both the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterms while residing in Los Angeles. This information contrasts sharply with Musk’s recent public statements, including a January 2024 post on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) where he called voting by mail “insane.”

The records also shed light on Musk’s overall voting history in California. Despite being eligible to vote for 18 years after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2002, Musk only participated in two elections during that time. He abstained from voting in several high-profile races, including presidential elections featuring candidates such as Barack Obama, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

Musk’s voting style changed after he moved to Texas in late 2020. He voted by absentee ballot in Texas for the 2020 election, though it’s unclear if this was mailed or hand-delivered. He also reportedly voted in a June 2022 Texas election but did not participate in the November 2022 election.

Musk isn’t alone in both criticizing and using mail-in voting. The former president, whom Musk has endorsed for the 2024 election, also voted by mail in Florida in 2020 despite his criticisms of the practice.

While voting by mail was historically associated with progressive get-out-the-vote efforts, some conservatives are now embracing it to boost turnout. Musk, who was registered in California with no party preference, claims to have voted “100% Dem until a few years ago.”

Musk declined to address his personal voting history but maintained his stance on mail-in voting, stating, “Voting by mail has been recognized as an invitation to fraud throughout the world.”

However, election security experts and numerous studies have consistently found no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the United States, including with mail-in ballots. In California, for example, several security measures in place to ensure the integrity of mail-in voting, including signature verification and ID checks during registration.