Voter Irregularity and Fraud: A Rare Occurrence in Los Angeles County
Even before millions of Americans have yet to cast their ballot in the general election, claims of possible problems at vote centers and even election fraud are being spread online and on campaign trails across the country.
Los Angeles County Officials Assure Ballot Integrity
But Los Angeles County officials say voter irregularity or fraud is very uncommon, assuming that all ballots will be properly counted and safely handled for Tuesday’s election. "There’s a lot of talk about the ability of the possibility of fraud, but especially in this period since the 2020 election, there’ve been multiple court cases, multiple academic studies and statistical data to show it’s just very rare that it happens," said Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan.
Rare Cases of Voter Fraud in Los Angeles County
According to the I-Team’s analysis of voter irregularity data in Los Angeles County dating back to 2020, there were only 15 cases that were examined by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office or the California Attorney General out of millions of votes cast and verified each election year. Among the allegations were voter registration fraud and vote-by-mail ballots being returned by someone other than the voter. In one incident, petition signers were found no longer living.
Consequences of Voter Fraud
"When we get that information, we turn that over to law enforcement, and then it’s sort of in their hands to look into that," Logan said. "The consequences of doing that are very extreme. Those are felony charges. We take them very seriously, and our law enforcement agencies take them very seriously as well."
Recent High-Profile Case of Voter Fraud
One of the voter fraud cases was from the city of Compton when then-City Councilmember Isaac Galvan was removed from office for having people, who did not live in Compton, vote for him. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge overturned the election and declared Andrea Spicer won the election by three votes. Galvan and others were charged by the LA County District Attorney related to the incident.
Data from the California Secretary of State
Data from the California Secretary of State also showed allegations of voter fraud were exceptionally rare. During the 2020 presidential election, the state reported 48 allegations out of almost 18 million ballots cast.
Preventing Vote-by-Mail Ballot Fraud
The best way to ensure the mail-in-ballots are in the right hands is to sign up for an alert system run by the state to receive automatic email, text or voice call notifications. Sign up for the ballot tracker here.
Conclusion
Voter irregularity and fraud are rare in Los Angeles County, and officials are committed to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. By understanding the facts and taking steps to prevent fraud, we can maintain trust in our democratic system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How common is voter fraud in Los Angeles County?
A: Voter fraud is extremely rare in Los Angeles County, with only 15 cases examined by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office or the California Attorney General out of millions of votes cast and verified each election year.
Q: What are the consequences of voter fraud?
A: The consequences of voter fraud are very extreme, including felony charges.
Q: How can I prevent vote-by-mail ballot fraud?
A: You can sign up for an alert system run by the state to receive automatic email, text or voice call notifications to ensure your mail-in-ballot is in the right hands. Sign up for the ballot tracker here.
