Is voter fraud a problem in the US?

Leans no

Short answer: Individual cases of voter fraud do occur in the U.S., but decades of research and official reviews consistently find they are rare and not widespread enough to alter national outcomes.[1]

What “rare” looks like:

•Types include in‑person impersonation, double voting, absentee‑ballot misuse, and false registrations. A conservative-leaning database at the Heritage Foundation documents prosecuted cases, showing that incidents exist but are scattered and relatively few. Academic and nonprofit reviews likewise find most allegations stem from error or misunderstanding, and verified noncitizen voting is vanishingly rare.[2]

Have any races been affected? Yes, occasionally at the local level. Examples include:

•North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District (2018), where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the state board to order a new election (February 21, 2019).[3]

•Bridgeport, Connecticut’s 2023 mayoral primary, where absentee‑ballot abuses prompted a court‑ordered do‑over and subsequent criminal charges (announced February 21, 2025).[4]

Why large‑scale fraud is hard to pull off:

•Modern safeguards—paper ballots and storage, signature/ID checks (varies by state), chain‑of‑custody rules, pre‑ and post‑election testing, and routine audits—make widespread manipulation difficult and help detect and correct problems.[5]

Bottom line: Voter fraud exists but is uncommon; when it happens, it’s typically isolated, often detected, and prosecuted. If you’d like, I can summarize the findings for a specific election year or your state.

Citations (5)

1brennancenter.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Myth of Voter Fraud | Brennan Center for Justice
Backs: “Individual cases of voter fraud do occur in the U.S., but decades of research and official reviews consistently find they are rare and not widespread enough to alter national outcomes.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Decades of research and official reviews find voter fraud rare and not widespread enough to alter national outcomes.
2heritage.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Heritage Database | Election Fraud Map | The Heritage Foundation
Backs: “Academic and nonprofit reviews likewise find most allegations stem from error or misunderstanding, and verified noncitizen voting is vanishingly rare.”
evidence, data page, points to no. Claim: Heritage database documents prosecuted cases, showing incidents exist but are scattered and relatively few; noncitizen voting is vanishingly rare.
3ncsbe.govGovernment
State Board unanimously orders new election in 9th Congressional District | NCSBE
Backs: “North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District (2018), where an absentee‑ballot scheme led the state board to order a new election (February 21, 2019).”
evidence, official document, points to yes. Claim: North Carolina's 9th District 2018 absentee-ballot scheme led the state board to order a new election.
4ct.govGovernment
Five Charged Following Investigation into Handling of Absentee Ballots in 2023 Elections
Backs: “Bridgeport, Connecticut’s 2023 mayoral primary, where absentee‑ballot abuses prompted a court‑ordered do‑over and subsequent criminal charges (announced February 21, 2025).”
evidence, official document, points to yes. Claim: Bridgeport's 2023 mayoral primary absentee-ballot abuses led to a court-ordered do-over and criminal charges.
5eac.govGovernment
Are voting systems secure? | U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Backs: “Modern safeguards—paper ballots and storage, signature/ID checks (varies by state), chain‑of‑custody rules, pre‑ and post‑election testing, and routine audits—make widespread manipulation difficult and help detect and correct problems.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Modern safeguards like paper ballots, audits, and chain-of-custody rules make widespread manipulation difficult and help detect problems.