Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Short answer: Isolated voter-fraud cases do occur in the U.S., but the best available evidence shows they are rare and seldom affect outcomes in major elections.

What the data shows

•In‑person voter impersonation (the kind photo ID laws target) is vanishingly rare: one comprehensive review found 31 credible cases out of more than 1 billion ballots cast from 2000–2014.[1]

•Using a database of adjudicated cases, Brookings estimated an average of about 134 proven voter‑fraud cases per year nationwide across recent election cycles—minute compared with the many tens of millions of votes cast each year. The underlying database itself notes it is not comprehensive.[2]

•Mail voting: an analysis of three vote‑by‑mail states found 372 possible double/deceased‑person cases out of 14.6 million mail ballots in 2016 and 2018 (about 0.0025%).[3]

•Noncitizen voting: targeted state reviews generally find few or no instances. For example, Georgia’s 2022 audit flagged 1,634 attempted registrations by noncitizens over many years—but state procedures blocked them before any votes were cast.[4]

Courts and officials on “widespread fraud”

•After the 2020 election, federal and state election‑security officials said the November 3, 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.”[5]

•More than 60 lawsuits challenging the 2020 results were rejected or dismissed; none uncovered fraud on a scale that would have changed the outcome.[6]

When it has mattered

•Fraud has occasionally changed results in close, often local races. A prominent example: North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018, where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the state board to order a new election.[7]

Perception vs. reality

•A sizeable share of Americans believe voter fraud happens frequently, despite the evidence above. In the MIT Election Lab’s Survey of the Performance of American Elections (2024), roughly 1 in 5 to 1 in 3 respondents said various fraud activities were “very common” or happened “occasionally.”[8]

Bottom line: Voter fraud exists and should be deterred and prosecuted, but the best research and official reviews indicate it is rare and not a systemic threat to national election outcomes in the United States.[9]

If you want, I can look up your state’s recent audits, prosecutions, and safeguards.

Citations (9)

1washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
A comprehensive investigation of voter impersonation finds 31 credible incidents out of one billion ballots cast - The Washington Post
Backs: “In‑person voter impersonation (the kind photo ID laws target) is vanishingly rare: one comprehensive review found 31 credible cases out of more than 1 billion ballots cast from 2000–2014.”
2brookings.eduNonprofits and think tanks
Mail voting fraud: Data points to low risk and high benefits for voters | Brookings
Backs: “The underlying database itself notes it is not comprehensive.”
3washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
The truth about election fraud: It’s rare - The Washington Post
Backs: “Mail voting: an analysis of three vote‑by‑mail states found 372 possible double/deceased‑person cases out of 14.6 million mail ballots in 2016 and 2018 (about 0.0025%).”
4ga.govGovernment
Citizenship Audit Finds 1,634 Noncitizens Attempted to Register to Vote | Georgia Secretary of State
Backs: “For example, Georgia’s 2022 audit flagged 1,634 attempted registrations by noncitizens over many years—but state procedures blocked them before any votes were cast.”
5house.govGovernment
Joint Statement from Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council & the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees | CISA
Backs: “After the 2020 election, federal and state election‑security officials said the November 3, 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.””
6govinfo.govGovernment
FINAL REPORT of the Select Commitee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
Backs: “More than 60 lawsuits challenging the 2020 results were rejected or dismissed; none uncovered fraud on a scale that would have changed the outcome.”
7ncsbe.govGovernment
State Board unanimously orders new election in 9th Congressional District | NCSBE
Backs: “North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018, where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the state board to order a new election.”
8mit.eduAcademic
How We Voted in 2024: A Topical Look at the Survey of the Performance of American Elections
Backs: “In the MIT Election Lab’s Survey of the Performance of American Elections (2024), roughly 1 in 5 to 1 in 3 respondents said various fraud activities were “very common” or happened “occasionally.””
9brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Myth of Voter Fraud | Brennan Center for Justice
Backs: “Voter fraud exists and should be deterred and prosecuted, but the best research and official reviews indicate it is rare and not a systemic threat to national election outcomes in the United States.”