Trump allies sow election doubt one week before midterms

President Donald Trump and his allies have spent the final weeks before the midterms flooding supporters with claims that question the legitimacy of the election. The messaging aims to prepare voters to challenge results if Republicans lose.

Right-wing influencers have published more than 7,000 statements questioning election integrity this year, according to a Washington Post analysis. Nearly 600 high-profile social media accounts, podcasts and online media outlets took part in this effort.

“The timing of this request — one week before the General Election — is no doubt intended to cast unfounded suspicion on the results.”

Claims about noncitizens on voter rolls and mail-in ballot fraud have become twice as prevalent as they were during the 2024 election cycle. Voting by noncitizens is rare, and most fraud cases involve small numbers of votes that cannot change outcomes.

The Justice Department filed criminal charges against more than two dozen green card holders in California for alleged illegal voter registration or fraudulent ballots. Trump also requested a lawsuit against Alaska to block certification of its Senate election if the Republican incumbent loses.

Washington state received a legal threat from the administration unless it removes around 400 people from voter rolls that officials claim are not U.S. citizens. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the timing, one week before the General Election, is intended to cast unfounded suspicion on results.

Assertions that voting machines rigged elections have fallen apart in court. Fox News reached a $787.5 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 after airing false statements about its equipment.

Trump has not admitted losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden and has claimed victory more than 100 times without evidence of widespread voter fraud. He has lost at least 64 court cases challenging those results.