In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, claims of widespread voter fraud had devastating consequences when insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In response to former Vice President Mike Pence's decision to accept electoral votes that showed U.S. President Joe Biden had won the election, rioters chanted "Hang Mike Pence" as they ascended the Capitol steps. As we head into the 2024 presidential election, we've got the facts to counter dangerous claims.
Some claims — such as that dead people or noncitizens vote on a widespread scale — are exaggerated, but do occasionally occur. We found that in Washington state, for example, where mail-in voting is the primary way voters cast their ballots, only 14 out of 4.5 million voters from 2011 to 2018 "might have been cast suspiciously long after their death," which is 0.0003% of all voters in the state. This is virtually insignificant. Similarly, we found one study indicated noncitizens vote (a major Republican talking point) in U.S. elections at a rate of 0.0001%, less than the odds of being struck by lightning in a lifetime.
As usual, we have all the facts and context to tackle false or exaggerated claims heading into the 2024 presidential election. Below are a few of them.
