How does a lie come to be widely taken as the truth? The answer is simple. Repeat it over and over, and when faced with facts that clearly contradict the lie, repeat it even louder.
Allegations of election-related fraud is one of those lies. In the aftermath of close elections, losing candidates are often quick to blame voter fraud for the results. Legislators often cite voter fraud as justification for various restrictions to be imposed regarding casting one’s vote, leading to ID requirements, voter intimidation, voter discrimination and disruption of voter locations.
Study after study has shown there is virtually no voter fraud anywhere in this country. In a study that looked at elections from 2000 to 2014, with more that 1 billion votes cast, there were only 31 credible claims of voter fraud. This is the study done by Justin Levitt, a professor at the Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. He is an expert on the laws of democracy focusing on election administration.
There are plenty of shortcomings in the American voting system but most are the result of outdated machines, insufficient resources, shutting down of polling places, eliminating early voting or human error, not intentional fraud.
In our nation, where on a good day only 60 percent of eligible voters show up at the polls, there is little evidence of voter fraud. The truth is that those who have perpetuated the myth of fraud and “rigged elections” do not care about the integrity of our voting system. They are seeking to undermine the rights of legitimate voters thinking that it will help them win elections.
Joyce Blum, Garrison
