Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy once promoted moving to an entirely electronic, remote, and mandatory voting system before launching his presidential campaign.
After the presidential election in November 2020, Ramaswamy advocated on social media for “electronic at-home voting,” arguing that it could drastically cut down on fraud.
“Electronic at-home voting. Make it universal; submit a blank ballot if you want,” he wrote. “One per SSN for every adult citizen. No ballot fraud. No voter suppression. No wasted money on “get-out-the-vote.” Most importantly: greater civic engagement. Thoughts?”
Electronic at-home voting. Make it universal; submit a blank ballot if you want. One per SSN for every adult citizen. No ballot fraud. No voter suppression. No wasted money on “get-out-the-vote.” Most importantly: greater civic engagement. Thoughts?
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 4, 2020
He also said that he wanted to make it mandatory.
“I’m suggesting making it mandatory,” he wrote.
I’m suggesting making it mandatory.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 4, 2020
Ramaswamy’s past remarks have resurfaced after a widely reported moment from an interview over the weekend with NBC News, in which he presented a very different reform plan. The political newcomer claimed to “Meet the Press” that had he been vice president on January 6, 2021, that he would have “driven” the U.S. Senate to pass “single-day voting on Election Day,” “paper ballots,” and “government-issued ID matching the voter file.”
“I would have driven it through the Senate,” he said.
Former Vice President Mike Pence’s presidential campaign responded to Ramaswamy’s remarks by noting that he wrote different things in his book “Nation of Victims,” published in September 2022.
Pence’s team specifically highlighted how Ramaswamy praised Pence for his actions on January 6, 2021.
“Mike Pence, a man I have great respect for, decided it was his constitutional duty to resist the president’s attempts to get him to unilaterally overturn the results of the election, even in the face of the January 6 Capitol riot,” Ramaswamy wrote, later adding: “I’m simply not convinced the election was stolen.”
Ramaswamy’s campaign later put out a statement responding to criticism over his election integrity platform, his book, and other aspects of his recent NBC News appearance.
“Ramaswamy advocates for a practical solution to address widespread concerns about U.S. election security that will help move the nation forward, after which a President Ramaswamy would lead all Americans to accept the results of elections without questioning their outcomes,” Ramaswamy campaign spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
McLaughlin said Pence’s comments are “dead wrong” and “reflect desperation.”
This article has been updated with comments from Ramaswamy’s campaign.