Poll: Voters Still Hold Election Integrity Concerns

A voter drops his ballot into a drop box at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Ce
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Most voters believe vote-by-mail makes it “easier” to cheat in elections and have lingering fears about the integrity of U.S. elections, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday found.

The survey, taken Election Day and the day after, asked voters about potential fears associated with cheating in U.S. elections. 

Fundamentally, most, 56 percent, believe it is more important to ensure no cheating, while 41 percent believe it is more important to make it “easier” to vote. 

When asked if voting by mail, which many states now allow, makes it easier or more difficult to cheat in U.S. elections, 52 percent agreed that it makes it “easier” to do so — a sentiment held by 70 percent of Republicans, 45 percent of independents, and 41 percent of Democrats. 

When asked how likely it will be that the outcome of “some” elections this year “will be affected by cheating,” 57 percent said it is at least somewhat likely. Of those, 30 percent said it is “very” likely. 

Voters also expressed skepticism over voting machines, as 49 percent said they are at least somewhat concerned that issues with voting machines could prevent their vote from being counted “accurately.” Another 49 percent, however, do not share those concerns.

Per Rasmussen Reports:

On Election Day, officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, reported widespread problems with vote tabulation machines. Nearly half (49%) of voters nationwide were concerned that problems with voting machines might prevent their vote from being counted accurately, including 26% who were Very Concerned. An equal 49% weren’t concerned that voting machine problems would prevent their vote from being counted, including 23% who were Not At All Concerned.

Fewer Democrats (39%) than Republicans (66%) or unaffiliated voters (41%) are concerned that their vote might not be counted accurately because of voting machine problems. Similarly, Democrats (26%) are less likely than Republicans (44%) or unaffiliated voters (36%) to think electronic voting machines make it easier to cheat in elections.

The warehouse at the Maricopa County Elections Department stores all the equipment and signage for all the voting precincts in Phoenix, Sept. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The warehouse at the Maricopa County Elections Department stores all the equipment and signage for all the voting precincts in Phoenix, September 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The survey, taken November 8-9, 2022, among 1,000 likely voters, has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. 

Indeed, results are still pending in key races in Arizona, nearly a week after the election. According to Sunday’s figures,  Maricopa county released results from another 98,618 ballots, which broke in favor of Republican Kari Lake (R), bringing her closer to Democrat Katie Hobbs:

Meanwhile, Democrats have secured a majority in the Senate with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-NV) victory over Republican Adam Laxalt. However, it appears Republicans are slated to take the majority in the House, given the current status of pending races. 

Some have critiqued the states such as Arizona, as key races are held in the balance.

“If #Florida can count 7.5 million ballots in 5 hours how can it take days for some states to count less than 2 million?” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) asked last week, as others made similar observations:

Former President Donald Trump has continued to bring this issue to the forefront in the aftermath of the election.

He wrote in part:

This is a very sad thing to watch. Mail in Ballots, long election counts, many day elections, machines that very few people understand, massive counting centers, and more, are an American disaster. Our elections have become an unreliable joke, and the whole world is watching!

He later added, “Even Jimmy Carter, in his and other highly respected pol’s and professional’s Report, said Mail-In Ballots cannot be trusted. There will be massive cheating.”

“A ten year old child would understand that. When will Republicans learn? If they don’t stop this mail-in SCAM now, there won’t be any Republicans left,” he said, urging the GOP to “get rid of McConnell.”

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