Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Is voter fraud a concern in the US? I'll check the latest data and research on its extent.

In the U.S., voter fraud is widely studied and found to be extremely rare relative to total votes cast, and not at a scale that has altered modern federal election outcomes - though isolated cases do occur and are prosecuted.

What the research shows

Multiple independent studies, audits and government investigations converge on very low rates:

•The Brennan Center's review of elections meticulously studied for voter fraud found incident rates between 0.0003 percent and 0.0025 percent, noting it is more likely an American "will be struck by lightning than that he will impersonate another voter at the polls".

•A comprehensive 2014 study found 31 credible instances of impersonation fraud from 2000 to 2014, out of more than 1 billion ballots cast.

•A Brennan Center examination covering 23.5 million votes found roughly 30 suspected incidents of noncitizen voting, about 0.0001 percent, with 40 of 42 jurisdictions reporting none at all.

•Other analyses report rates on the order of:

•0.00006 percent for mail-in ballots nationally over two decades

•0.0000845 percent in Arizona across decades of votes

•0.00000017 percent from a Kansas review of 84 million votes that yielded 14 instances referred for prosecution

•0.00000013 percent of ballots cast in 2002 and 2004 federal elections found fraudulent by a specialized U.S. Department of Justice unit

•Courts have reached similar conclusions. The Fifth Circuit noted there were "only two convictions for in-person voter impersonation fraud out of 20 million votes cast in the decade" before Texas passed its photo ID law.

Researchers summarize that "Research has been consistent over time that voter fraud is infinitesimally rare and almost never occurs on a scale that would affect an election outcome", and that many alleged instances are actually "traceable to other sources, such as clerical errors or bad data matching practices".

Broader compilations show the same pattern:

•Even the Heritage Foundation, which maintains a database of election fraud cases, demonstrates the scale problem. A 2026 congressional review of Heritage's database found 1,546 election fraud cases of all kinds accumulated over decades, but only 68 involving noncitizen voting going back to the 1980s.

•The Brennan Center's analysis of that database found only about ten cases of in-person voter-impersonation fraud and roughly 41 cases of noncitizen voting across the period covered — numbers that are microscopic compared to billions of ballots cast.

•Another summary notes proven voter-fraud cases number in the low thousands across many decades (roughly 1,400–1,600 in Heritage's compilation), translating to only a handful per year and an almost negligible share of total votes.

Does it ever happen?

Yes - rare is not never.

•Documented cases exist, including double voting, absentee-ballot fraud, false registration, and noncitizen voting, but "almost never large enough to alter presidential or congressional outcomes—though isolated cases can and do occur and can matter more in close local contests".

•Recent prosecutions continue to be announced. For example, the Justice Department announced it has charged 20 noncitizens with voter fraud in the 2024 elections, with charges including illegal voting and fraudulently claiming to be U.S. citizens to register to vote.

Types of fraud most often discussed:

1.In-person impersonation - the rarest form.

2.Noncitizen voting - also very rare, with studies finding rates around 0.0001 to 0.04 percent and Heritage listing only dozens of cases over decades.

3.Absentee/mail ballot fraud, double voting, and registration fraud - slightly more common but still in the hundred-thousandths of a percent.

Why perception differs from data

Studies note a stark divide between perception and documented incidence. Factors include:

•Media coverage of individual cases

•Political rhetoric

•Confusion between administrative errors (e.g., duplicate registrations, database mismatches, voters confused about eligibility restoration) and intentional fraud

•Different definitions of "voter fraud" vs. broader "election misconduct" by officials or campaigns

Proponents of stricter voting laws argue that even small numbers justify safeguards, that detection is difficult, and that any fraud undermines confidence. Opponents argue that restrictive measures justified by fraud claims can suppress legitimate voting more than they prevent fraud, noting the historical use of fraud claims to justify voter suppression.

Bottom line

The consensus among nonpartisan researchers, government audits, and courts is that voter fraud in the U.S. is not a widespread problem capable of "rigging" national elections, with documented rates typically measured in hundredths or thousandths of a percent or lower. Cases do occur at very low rates and are prosecuted when found, and can potentially affect very close local races.

Citations (2)

1brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth
Backs: “Multiple independent studies, audits and government investigations converge on very low rates: The Brennan Center's review of elections meticulously studied for voter fraud found incident rates between 0.0003 percent and 0.0025 percent, noting it is more likely an American "will be struck by lightning than that he…”
2fox49.tvNot yet classified
DOJ charges 20 noncitizens with voter fraud in 2024 elections
Backs: “Documented cases exist, including double voting, absentee-ballot fraud, false registration, and noncitizen voting, but "almost never large enough to alter presidential or congressional outcomes—though isolated cases can and do occur and can matter more in close local contests". Recent prosecutions continue to be…”