Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Short answer: Documented cases of voter fraud in the U.S. exist, but the best available evidence shows they are rare and not at levels that have changed national election outcomes.

What the evidence shows

•Large-scale reviews consistently find very few cases. An Associated Press review of the six 2020 battleground states identified fewer than 475 potential cases out of more than 25 million ballots—far too few to affect outcomes.[1]

•Federal and state election-security officials said the 2020 election was the most secure in U.S. history, and courts rejected the vast majority of post‑2020 fraud claims.[2]

•Academic and nonprofit assessments conclude that in-person impersonation, noncitizen voting, and other commonly alleged schemes are exceptionally rare.[3]

•A conservative-leaning database that tracks prosecuted cases documents roughly a thousand incidents over many years—evidence that fraud can happen, but also that confirmed cases are scarce relative to billions of ballots cast.[4]

Important nuance

•“Voter fraud” (individuals casting illegal ballots) is a subset of “election fraud” (broader misconduct like tampering with ballots). Serious incidents do occur—for example, absentee‑ballot tampering in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018 led the state board to order a new election—but such cases are uncommon and usually uncovered.[5]

Why the system catches most attempts

•Safeguards include voter list maintenance, ID or signature checks (depending on state), bipartisan observation, secure chain‑of‑custody for ballots, and post‑election audits—especially risk‑limiting audits that statistically verify reported outcomes.[6]

•States that rely heavily on voting by mail pair it with controls (signature verification, tracking, barcodes). Research and state experience show low fraud rates in these systems.[7]

Bottom line

•Isolated fraud happens and is prosecuted, but the accumulated court rulings, official reviews, and independent research indicate it is rare and typically too limited to alter major election results. If you want, tell me your state and I can summarize its specific rules, safeguards, and any notable cases.[1]

2.[19

We improved the security of systems, scanning](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-116shrg43071/pdf/CHRG-116shrg43071.pdf?utm_source=openai)

Citations (7)

1washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
The truth about election fraud: It’s rare - The Washington Post
Backs: “An Associated Press review of the six 2020 battleground states identified fewer than 475 potential cases out of more than 25 million ballots—far too few to affect outcomes.”
2govinfo.govGovernment
19 We improved the security of systems, scanning
Backs: “Federal and state election-security officials said the 2020 election was the most secure in U.S. history, and courts rejected the vast majority of post‑2020 fraud claims.”
3brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Myth of Voter Fraud | Brennan Center for Justice
Backs: “Academic and nonprofit assessments conclude that in-person impersonation, noncitizen voting, and other commonly alleged schemes are exceptionally rare.”
4heritage.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Heritage Releases Voter Fraud Database Online | The Heritage Foundation
Backs: “A conservative-leaning database that tracks prosecuted cases documents roughly a thousand incidents over many years—evidence that fraud can happen, but also that confirmed cases are scarce relative to billions of ballots cast.”
5ncsbe.govGovernment
State Board unanimously orders new election in 9th Congressional District | NCSBE
Backs: “Serious incidents do occur—for example, absentee‑ballot tampering in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018 led the state board to order a new election—but such cases are uncommon and usually uncovered.”
6mit.eduAcademic
Post-election audits | MIT Election Lab
Backs: “Safeguards include voter list maintenance, ID or signature checks (depending on state), bipartisan observation, secure chain‑of‑custody for ballots, and post‑election audits—especially risk‑limiting audits that statistically verify reported outcomes.”
7ncsl.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Table 18: States With All-Mail Elections
Backs: “Research and state experience show low fraud rates in these systems.”