Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Short answer: The data show that voter fraud in the United States is rare and typically not widespread enough to affect election outcomes. Cases do occur—and officials investigate and prosecute them—but across hundreds of millions of votes, confirmed incidents are a tiny fraction.[1]

What the evidence says

•Multiple academic and policy reviews find extremely low rates of proven fraud. Even analyses that aggregate years of cases show small numbers relative to total ballots cast.[1]

•Noncitizen voting is illegal in federal and state elections and is measured to be exceedingly rare; studies and audits have found vanishingly small suspected rates. Some localities allow noncitizens to vote only in specific local contests, but separate processes prevent them from voting in state or federal races.[2]

•Fraud that does turn up tends to involve absentee/mail-ballot manipulation or small-scale schemes, and it can matter in close, local races. A notable example: North Carolina’s 2018 9th Congressional District election, where the state ordered a new election after uncovering a coordinated absentee-ballot scheme.[3]

Safeguards that limit fraud and help catch problems

•Paper ballots, audits, and recounts: An increasing number of states use risk‑limiting audits to statistically confirm results and escalate to hand counts if discrepancies appear.[4]

•Voter‑roll maintenance and cross‑checks: Election officials routinely update rolls using death records, change‑of‑address data, and inter‑state data sharing (e.g., ERIC), which helps detect potential ineligible registrations or double voting for further review.[5]

•Cybersecurity: Federal agencies reported no evidence that cyber actors changed votes or prevented voting in 2020; ongoing hardening of systems and postelection audits provide additional confidence.[6]

Bottom line: Voter fraud exists but is uncommon, usually isolated, and subject to detection and prosecution. The combination of paper records, audits, and list‑maintenance practices means U.S. elections have multiple layers of protection, with occasional issues mostly affecting close, smaller‑scale contests rather than producing systemic problems.[7]

If you’d like, tell me your state and I can summarize its specific safeguards and recent audit practices.

Citations (7)

1brookings.eduNonprofits and think tanks
How widespread is election fraud in the United States? Not very | Brookings
Backs: “Cases do occur—and officials investigate and prosecute them—but across hundreds of millions of votes, confirmed incidents are a tiny fraction.”
2migrationpolicy.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Noncitizen Voting in U.S. Elections | Migration Policy Institute
Backs: “Some localities allow noncitizens to vote only in specific local contests, but separate processes prevent them from voting in state or federal races.”
3ncsbe.govGovernment
State Board unanimously orders new election in 9th Congressional District | NCSBE
Backs: “North Carolina’s 2018 9th Congressional District election, where the state ordered a new election after uncovering a coordinated absentee-ballot scheme.”
4ncsl.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Risk-Limiting Audits
Backs: “An increasing number of states use risk‑limiting audits to statistically confirm results and escalate to hand counts if discrepancies appear.”
5eac.govGovernment
FACT SHEET: Voter Registration List Maintenance | U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Backs: “Election officials routinely update rolls using death records, change‑of‑address data, and inter‑state data sharing (e.g., ERIC), which helps detect potential ineligible registrations or double voting for further review.”
6ic3.govGovernment
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Cyber Threats to Voting Processes Could Slow But Not Prevent Voting
Backs: “Federal agencies reported no evidence that cyber actors changed votes or prevented voting in 2020; ongoing hardening of systems and postelection audits provide additional confidence.”
7brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Myth of Voter Fraud | Brennan Center for Justice
Backs: “The combination of paper records, audits, and list‑maintenance practices means U.S. elections have multiple layers of protection, with occasional issues mostly affecting close, smaller‑scale contests rather than producing systemic problems.”