The New York Times reports that “of the 13.4 million mentions of voting by mail on social media; news on television, print and online; blogs and online forums between January and September, nearly a fourth — or 3.1 million mentions — have most likely been misinformation.” That means that mis/disinformation is widespread and pervasive in our elections. To help you address questions that will likely come up about in-person and mail-in early voting, we’ve supplied answers to some of the most common myths about this type of voting.
Don’t see an answer to a question that you’ve got? Email us at info@voteearlyday.org and we’ll get you an answer!
MYTH: Voting by mail isn’t secure. I’m unable to see what’s happening with my ballot.
- Many voting districts allow voters to track their mailed ballot with barcodes so you know when it was mailed to you, received back at the election office, processed, and counted. (Source)
- All returned/cast ballots are kept in a secure location before they are counted, and then moved to storage. (Source)
MYTH: There’s no way to prevent non-citizens from voting.
- Federal and state laws say only U.S. citizens can vote in state and federal elections. (Source)
- Federal law requires that states conduct regular list maintenance to ensure all registered voters are lawfully eligible to vote. (Source)
- States check a variety of sources to identify ineligible voter registrants, such as cross-checking voter rolls with state and federal agencies and records concerning death and changes in address. (Source)
MYTH: People can use the identity of a dead person to vote by mail.
- Election officials regularly check death records to eliminate deceased voters from the voting rolls. Some jurisdictions update voter registration files as often as each month. (Source)
- Signature verification and other voting safeguards protect against forged ballots in the rare case a deceased voter’s ballot is mailed by mistake. (Source)
MYTH: The people who work in election offices could tamper with my ballot.
- Most jurisdictions allow members of the public to watch the ballot counting process. Jurisdictions also follow strict procedures to ensure ballots are handled properly during the counting process, including documenting the movement of ballots. This creates a record of whenever equipment, supplies, or ballots change hands or location. (Source, Source)
- Documenting this chain of custody creates evidence that election officials can use to verify election results, confirm post-election tabulation audits and demonstrate to the voters that the outcome of the election can be trusted. (Source)
- Post-election audits are widely used to review irregularities and any ballots that were possibly tampered with. (Source)
- Many states assign reviews of unofficial results and certifying of official results at public meetings with joint representatives of both Republicans and Democrats. (Source)
MYTH: Voter fraud is widespread and can alter election results.
- Studies show that someone is more likely to be struck by lightning than commit mail ballot fraud. (Source)
- Voter fraud is exceptionally rare, occurring at a fraction of a single percent. (Source)
- Because elections in America are decentralized–meaning that elections are administered by independent voting jurisdictions. This would make it virtually impossible for a large-scale voter fraud operation to occur that would alter the results of an election. (Source)
MYTH: Voting machines can be hacked, and the results can be changed.
- Voting machines must be certified to federal and state security standards and tested before deployment and voter use. Additionally, machines must be audited after elections to confirm proper totals. (Source)
- Election officials in all states are required to test all voting equipment before every election, through a process called “logic and accuracy testing.” Many states require a public demonstration of testing, which you may be able to attend. (Source)
MYTH: Someone can fill out your mail ballot for you and send it in.
- 31 states verify mail-in ballots with signature comparisons, and some states also use barcodes to track ballots and prevent duplicate votes. (Source)
- You can read more about how your state verifies mail-in ballots here.
MYTH: Early or mail-in ballots aren’t counted unless the election is close.
- All valid votes and mail-in ballots are counted in every election. (Source)
- Mail-in ballots take additional time to process, verify, and count, so sometimes the unofficial election night results do not include all mail-in ballot results. (Source)
MYTH: You can only vote on Election Day.
- Many states allow you to before Election Day either in-person or by mail. (Source)
- This map provides early voting information for each US state and territory.
MYTH: Early voting isn’t as accurate as voting on Election Day.
- All of the protections that exist to ensure the integrity and security of our elections on Election Day also exist during the early voting period.
- Early and mail-in voting fraud is extremely rare. (Source)
- Experts across the political spectrum say that the 2020 general election, in which more than 69% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day, was the most secure in American history. (Source)
MYTH: Early voting favors one political party over the other.
- Many voting sites ensure that bipartisan teams are present when counting and processing mail-in ballots. (Source)
- In the 2024 election, both major parties built national programs to encourage participation in early voting, which Republicans and Democrats both took advantage of.
MYTH: Mail-in voting is only for those who are away on Election Day.
- Early voting ensures that everyone can vote at a time that is convenient to their schedule and helps voters overcome Election Day hurdles like long lines, last-minute programs, voter disinformation, or other voting barriers.
- Different states offer different mail-in voting options, but many allow no-excuse absentee voting and all-mail elections, where all voters are sent a mail ballot. (Source)
MYTH: You can vote multiple times through early voting
- If you choose to vote in person, your mail-in ballot will not be counted, and vice versa. (Source)
- Only a few states allow you to vote in person after already submitting a mail ballot. Those states will void your mail ballot once you vote in person. (Source)
- If you vote ahead of Election Day, you will not be allowed to vote on Election Day.