Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Short answer: Individual cases of voter fraud do occur in the U.S., but they are rare and have not been shown to affect national election outcomes in recent years.

What the evidence shows

•Large-scale studies and reviews consistently find extremely low rates of fraud such as double voting, noncitizen voting, or in‑person voter impersonation. For example, a review of 1+ billion ballots (2000–2014) found 31 credible cases of in‑person impersonation, and an AP review of the 2020 election in key states found only a few hundred potential cases out of tens of millions of votes.[1]

•After the 2020 election, the U.S. Justice Department said it found no evidence of fraud on a scale that could have changed the result; dozens of judges across the country (including some appointed by Republicans) rejected postelection fraud claims.[2]

•Election‑security officials stated the 2020 election was the most secure in U.S. history, and states widely use paper ballots and post‑election audits to verify results.[3]

Important nuance

•Fraud is not zero. In rare cases, it has altered outcomes in close local races—most notably, North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018, where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the bipartisan state board to order a new election.[4]

•Mail voting has known safeguards (signature checks, barcodes/unique IDs, ballot‑tracking, chain‑of‑custody, audit trails). Jurisdictions with long‑standing vote‑by‑mail report tiny fraud rates; Oregon reports a minuscule share of proven cases over tens of millions of ballots.[5]

•Advocacy groups maintain compilations of prosecuted cases to show that fraud exists, but even these compilations represent small numbers over many years compared with the billions of ballots cast.[6]

Bottom line: Voter fraud is a real but infrequent crime in the U.S.; existing safeguards and audits typically catch isolated cases, and there’s no credible evidence it has recently altered national outcomes. If you want, tell me which type of fraud (e.g., mail ballots, double voting, noncitizen voting) or which state you care about, and I can pull details.[7]

Citations (7)

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: “For example, a review of 1+ billion ballots (2000–2014) found 31 credible cases of in‑person impersonation, and an AP review of the 2020 election in key states found only a few hundred potential cases out of tens of millions of votes.”
2pbs.orgNews and mediaquality 0.87
Barr says Justice Department found no evidence of fraud that would change election outcome | PBS News
Backs: “Justice Department said it found no evidence of fraud on a scale that could have changed the result; dozens of judges across the country (including some appointed by Republicans) rejected postelection fraud claims.”
3house.govGovernment
Joint Statement from Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council & the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees | CISA
Backs: “Election‑security officials stated the 2020 election was the most secure in U.S. history, and states widely use paper ballots and post‑election audits to verify results.”
4ncsbe.govGovernment
State Board unanimously orders new election in 9th Congressional District | NCSBE
Backs: “In rare cases, it has altered outcomes in close local races—most notably, North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in 2018, where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the bipartisan state board to order a new election.”
5brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Mail Ballot Security Features: A Primer | Brennan Center for Justice
Backs: “Oregon reports a minuscule share of proven cases over tens of millions of ballots.”
6heritage.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Heritage Database | Election Fraud Map: About the Election Fraud Map | The Heritage Foundation
Backs: “Advocacy groups maintain compilations of prosecuted cases to show that fraud exists, but even these compilations represent small numbers over many years compared with the billions of ballots cast.”
7ap.orgNews and mediaquality 0.69
In exclusive AP interview, AG Barr says no evidence of widespread election fraud, undermining Trump | The Associated Press
Backs: “If you want, tell me which type of fraud (e.g., mail ballots, double voting, noncitizen voting) or which state you care about, and I can pull details.”