President Donald Trump has announced a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals committing voter fraud in US elections. This initiative comes as Trump continues to cast doubt on the integrity of the voting process, particularly concerning mail-in ballots and non-citizen participation, ahead of the midterm elections.
Despite these assertions, studies and data indicate that instances of widespread voter fraud are exceptionally rare. The Brookings Institute, in an analysis of US elections from 2016 to 2022, found an average of approximately four cases of fraud for every 10 million mail-in votes cast. This data is drawn from a database maintained by the Heritage Foundation, which tracks electoral fraud cases resulting in convictions.
Trump's efforts to alter voting procedures have faced legal and political challenges. He has advocated for stricter laws, including requiring voters to present government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship. However, his push for Congress to pass legislation limiting mail-in voting to specific groups like the disabled or military personnel has been unsuccessful. The majority of U.S. states permit mail-in voting without requiring a reason, and millions cast ballots this way in recent elections. An executive order aimed at restricting mail-in ballot delivery was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Claims of rampant non-citizen voting have also been investigated, with evidence suggesting such cases are infrequent. The Heritage Foundation's database lists 24 convictions for non-citizen voting between 2005 and 2025. A Reuters analysis covering the last three decades found 129 individuals charged in federal courts for non-citizen voting, with 73 resulting in convictions. Experts note that the illegality of non-citizen voting and the potential consequences for their immigration status serve as significant deterrents.
Furthermore, efforts to use federal databases like the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (Save) to purge voter rolls of suspected non-citizens have yielded limited results. Audits in states like Georgia and Nevada have identified small numbers of potential non-citizens, though state officials have sometimes found these individuals to be citizens. In one instance in New Jersey, a software glitch led to thousands of non-citizens being registered to vote, but only a fraction cast ballots, and all have since been removed. Similarly, in California, a Justice Department request to set aside ballots from alleged non-citizen registrants was rejected by an appeals court, though 28 individuals were charged for illegally registering.
While some states have tightened voter ID requirements, concerns remain about the potential impact on voter turnout, as not all citizens possess the necessary identification. Experts suggest that existing voter ID laws have not shown a significant impact on either fraud or voter suppression, according to the conservative Cato Institute. However, data from the Brennan Center for Justice indicates a substantial number of voting-age citizens lack readily accessible documentation for proving citizenship.