Here are six common false election-related rumors that voters might see today.
Here are six common false election-related rumors that voters might see today.
Watch Out for This Misinformation on Election Day
6 Election Falsehoods to Watch For Today
Some of the false rumors about the 2020 election that have spread online for weeks will probably reappear on Election Day, say experts who study misinformation.
Here are six false claims to watch out for today →
1. No, George Soros doesn’t control voting machines.
❌ Claim:The billionaire George Soros owns Smartmatic, a company that makes voting machines. He can manipulate the machines toward a candidate of his choosing.
✅ Fact:Mr. Soros does not own Smartmatic.
2. No, ballots aren’t being thrown away.
❌ Claim:There are photographs of ballots being thrown away, providing proof of problems with mail-in voting in California.
✅ Fact:The photographs depict old empty envelopes from the November 2018 elections that were discarded after the vote was counted.
3. No, people aren’t voting more than once.
❌ Claim:People are casting multiple votes using mail-in or absentee ballots.
✅ Fact:Election experts have calculated that, in a 20-year period, fraud involving mailed ballots has affected 0.00006 percent of votes, or one case per state every six or seven years.
4. No, there aren’t any new online voting options.
❌ Claim:People can vote by text message, email or a state-run website.
✅ Fact:Outside of a small amount of overseas absentee voters, no state allows Americans to vote by email, website or text message.
5. Voting machines are not doing strange things.
❌ Claim:Voting machines are malfunctioning and causing votes to be improperly recorded.
✅ Fact:A handful of voting machine malfunctions are reported every election cycle in most states. The errors are most often because of mistakes by users.
6. ICE is not monitoring polling locations.
❌ Claim:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be at polling stations.
✅ Fact:ICE will not be at polling stations.
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