Based on extensive research, government audits, academic studies, and database tracking across the political spectrum, voter fraud in the United States is extremely rare.
While isolated cases of voter fraud do occur, multiple investigations have consistently shown that they do not exist on a scale that could alter the outcome of an election.
Key Findings and Data
Numerous comprehensive studies and databases track the prevalence of voter fraud in the U.S.:
•The Heritage Foundation Database: The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, maintains a database of proven voter fraud cases to argue for stricter voting laws. However, analyses of this database show how rare fraud actually is. For instance, a Brookings Institution analysis of the Heritage data found that in Arizona, there were only 36 documented cases of fraud over a 25-year period in which more than 42 million votes were cast—a rate of roughly 0.00008%. In Pennsylvania, the database recorded just 39 cases over 30 years and 100 million votes cast.
•The Associated Press (2020 Election): An intensive review by the AP of the highly contested 2020 presidential election in six battleground states found fewer than 475 potential cases of voter fraud out of more than 25 million votes cast. Virtually all of these were isolated incidents that did not involve any coordinated conspiracy.
•The Brennan Center for Justice: The nonpartisan law and policy institute's landmark study, The Truth About Voter Fraud, examined numerous elections and found voter fraud rates between 0.0003% and 0.0025%. The study concluded that an American is more likely to be struck by lightning than to impersonate another voter at the polls.
•Academic and Scientific Studies:
•A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on mail-in voting found that voter fraud via mail-in ballots is "exceedingly rare," occurring at a rate of approximately 0.00006% nationally.
•Arizona State University researchers conducted nationwide studies in 2012 and 2016 and found negligible rates of in-person impersonation fraud, documenting only 10 cases nationwide between 2000 and 2012.
Common Categories of Alleged Fraud
When voter fraud is discussed, it generally falls into a few categories, all of which studies show are rare:
1.In-Person Impersonation: This involves a voter showing up at a polling place pretending to be someone else. A comprehensive study published in The Washington Post found only 31 credible instances of in-person impersonation out of more than 1 billion ballots cast between 2000 and 2014.
2.Double Voting or Voting for the Deceased: While critics often point to outdated voter rolls containing deceased individuals, audits show that actual instances of people successfully casting ballots under a deceased person’s name are incredibly rare. A 2020 study of mail-in states (Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) found that out of 14.6 million votes cast, officials flagged only 372 potential cases of double voting or voting on behalf of deceased people.
3.Noncitizen Voting: Under federal law, noncitizens are prohibited from voting in federal elections. Studies and state-level audits show this is practically non-existent. For example, a 2022 audit in Georgia found that zero noncitizens had successfully registered to vote over a 25-year period. An audit in Oregon in 2024 found that while roughly 1,200 potential noncitizens were accidentally added to the rolls due to a DMV administrative error, only 5 had actually cast ballots, and the rolls were quickly corrected.
Why are there so many reports of "fraud"?
The Brennan Center and election officials point out that the vast majority of initial allegations of voter fraud are actually the result of clerical errors, voter confusion, or administrative mistakes. These include:
•Voters with similar or identical names (e.g., a father and son living at the same address) being confused on voter rolls.
•Typographical errors made by poll workers inputting names.
•Voters who genuinely believe they are eligible to vote but make an honest mistake regarding their registration status or eligibility (such as individuals on parole).
The Political Debate
Despite the lack of empirical evidence showing widespread fraud, the issue remains highly polarized:
•Proponents of stricter voting laws (such as requiring strict photo IDs, limiting mail-in voting, or conducting frequent voter roll purges) argue that even a single fraudulent vote is too many and that these measures are necessary to secure elections and bolster public confidence.
•Opponents of these laws argue that because voter fraud is practically non-existent, these restrictions are "solutions in search of a problem". They contend that stricter laws do not stop fraud but instead disproportionately disenfranchise low-income, minority, student, and elderly voters who may face administrative hurdles to obtaining necessary identification.
Conclusion
U.S. election systems employ decentralized administration, paper ballots (used in roughly 98% of all votes cast), secure ballot scanners, bipartisan observation, and post-election audits. While local and minor instances of voter misconduct occasionally occur and are prosecuted, widespread voter fraud that could alter election results is not a documented problem in the United States.