[grey_whiskers]

Is there any common characteristic of those voting absentee which would cause them to skew heavily Cruz?

So, vote fraud on absentee ballots, is that what is being hinted at ?

[nickcarraway]

I think you are reading it the opposite. This is saying Cruz had a surge in those who voted live, compared to those who had voted absentee at an earlier time.

[Fresh Wind]

So, vote fraud on absentee ballots, is that what is being hinted at ?

Or fraud in the live voting.

[CyberAnt]

Yes, more conservatives vote absentee. It’s calculated that most absentee ballots will skew to the conservative.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Is there any common characteristic of those voting absentee which would cause them to skew heavily Cruz?

The absentee ballots skewed heavily for Trump, not for Cruz. The election day vote skewed more toward Cruz. Either way, I doubt "vote fraud" had anything to do with it - campaign dynamics and "get out the vote" election day efforts would have caused the swing.