Fact Check: 2020 u. s. election was rigged

Fact Check: "2020 U.S. Election Was Rigged"

What We Know

The claim that the 2020 U.S. election was rigged has been a persistent narrative, particularly among some Republican voters. Research by political science professor Justin Grimmer indicates that a significant portion of voters—about a quarter—believe U.S. elections are inaccurate. However, Grimmer's studies systematically debunk major theories of voter fraud, including those related to Dominion voting machines and absentee ballots. He highlights that the claims of fraud are often based on "shockingly flimsy evidence" and that many allegations have been dismissed in court due to their lack of merit.

Moreover, a report from the Brookings Institution emphasizes that there is minimal evidence to support claims of widespread election fraud. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has documented 1,465 cases of election fraud over more than a decade, which, when contextualized against the hundreds of millions of votes cast, amounts to an extremely low incidence rate of fraud. For instance, in Texas, the documented cases of fraud represented just 0.000096% of all ballots cast during the 2020 election.

Analysis

The evidence presented in support of the claim that the 2020 election was rigged is largely anecdotal and lacks substantial verification. Grimmer's research points out that many claims arise from misunderstandings of statistical data and election processes. For example, he notes that even if some empirical claims about irregularities were true, they do not constitute evidence of fraud. This critical assessment of the evidence suggests that the claims are not founded on rigorous analysis but rather on political narratives that appeal to specific voter bases.

The Brookings report further underscores this by stating that the few instances of proven fraud did not benefit Democratic candidates and that the political parties have a vested interest in monitoring election integrity. The assertion that a massive conspiracy could manipulate election outcomes without detection is deemed implausible, especially given the extensive oversight by both parties.

In contrast, some sources, such as the BBC, have reported on the various allegations made by Trump and his allies, but they also highlight that these claims have been thoroughly investigated and largely debunked. The statistical claims often cited by proponents of election fraud have been critically examined and found lacking by experts in the field, including those at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Conclusion

The claim that the 2020 U.S. election was rigged is False. The overwhelming consensus among researchers and credible institutions is that there is no substantial evidence to support widespread electoral fraud. Claims of rigging are primarily based on misunderstandings and anecdotal evidence rather than rigorous statistical analysis or verified incidents. The data indicates that the integrity of the 2020 election was upheld, and the claims of fraud have not been substantiated by credible evidence.

Sources

1. Debunking the evidence for election fraud cases
2. Widespread election fraud claims by Republicans don't match the evidence
3. US election 2020: Fact-checking Trump team's main fraud claims
4. Trump's 2024 victory gives new life to his 2020 fraud claims
5. No evidence for systematic voter fraud: A guide to statistical claims
6. Fact check: Trump's 2024 win doesn't prove claims that the 2020 election was stolen
7. Heritage Database | Election Fraud Map
8. No Evidence For Voter Fraud: A Guide To Statistical Claims