GOP Lawmakers in Key Battlegrounds to Tighten Vote-by-Mail Rules 31 Jan 2021 GOP state lawmakers in three battleground states where President Joe Biden narrowly defeated former President Donald Trump in November are looking to tighten their states’ vote-by-mail rules. The moves come after Trump spent the lead-up to the general election by going after vote-by-mail, which was implemented in many states to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump repeatedly claimed that vote-by-mail would lead to “fraud” and would “destroy this country.” There was a surge in early and mail-in voting during the 2020 election, with most votes cast by Democrats. Now, with legislative sessions in the statehouses in session, GOP lawmakers are coming up with a flurry of laws aimed at restricting vote-by-mail.