The lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election has seen an unprecedented surge in misinformation, particularly focused on claims of electoral fraud and voting irregularities. Various online platforms, message boards, and social media networks are flooded with rumors, half-truths, and falsehoods, many of which are aimed at undermining public trust in the election process.
These claims include allegations about ballot tampering, non-citizens voting, and voting machine malfunctions. In many cases, isolated incidents of voter registration errors or ballot misplacement are portrayed as evidence of widespread, coordinated efforts to rig the election, despite repeated statements from election officials that such issues are minor and often corrected.
A recent wave of accusations centers on Pennsylvania, a key swing state, where former President Donald Trump has alleged widespread voter fraud. On his social media platform, Truth Social, he posted claims that Pennsylvania was engaging in “large-scale” cheating, which election officials have since refuted, explaining that the state’s registration processes have built-in safeguards to catch and address errors. However, these allegations are frequently shared and amplified, leading to millions of views online. Some videos and images falsely claim to show non-citizens voting or ballots being mishandled.
For example, one viral video allegedly depicted newly arrived Haitians voting in Georgia, but this was debunked as a fabrication involving altered addresses and stock footage. Another post, featuring a ballot from Florida, falsely suggested that Canadians were crossing the border to vote, though this ballot was not authentic.
As misinformation spreads, experts are concerned about its effects on public confidence in the election outcome. Memories of the “Stop the Steal” movement following the 2020 election—which led to the January 6 Capitol riots—are resurfacing, with both election officials and advocacy groups bracing for potential unrest. Notably, organizations like Democracy Works and the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism warn that conspiracy theories are likely to fuel distrust and could even incite threats against election workers, who are often the target of baseless accusations of misconduct.
Monitoring groups have identified several organizations playing a role in spreading these election-related conspiracy theories. Groups like “True the Vote” have been active in promoting allegations of election fraud since 2009. With tools like their VoteAlert app, these groups encourage supporters to report perceived irregularities, which can range from minor issues to unverified or exaggerated claims. True the Vote has also initiated live monitoring of ballot drop boxes in certain states, although local authorities insist that these measures are redundant given the security protocols already in place.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI have released advisories highlighting the risks posed by election misinformation, which they state is being manipulated by foreign influence campaigns, notably from Russia and Iran. According to DHS, these countries use generative AI and online influencers to create fake news and misleading social media content that casts doubt on U.S. democratic processes.
Given the volume of misinformation, experts recommend that the public rely on official sources for accurate updates. Election officials stress that while isolated errors are expected in any election involving millions of voters, these incidents do not indicate a broader conspiracy. The goal, they explain, is to maintain transparency and uphold the integrity of the electoral process, even in the face of unprecedented challenges from misinformation campaigns.
For more details and updates, it is advised to refer to government websites such as CISA and local state election offices, as well as reputable news sources that continue to monitor election security issues closely.
