Americans’ electoral fraud fears grow

With experts warning that hacking voting systems is extremely easy and early voters reporting that their presidential ballots aren’t being properly tallied, a growing number of Americans are losing faith the in the legitimacy of the nation’s election process.

The Brookings Institution and PRRI on Tuesday revealed polling data showing that a dismal 43 percent of Americans have faith in the nation’s voting system ahead of one of the most contentious presidential elections in decades.

The organizations revealed:

Fewer than half (43%) of the public say they have a great deal of confidence that their vote will be counted accurately. Roughly four in ten (38%) Americans report having only some confidence, while close to one in five (17%) say they have little confidence their vote will be accurately counted. There are stark differences among likely voters, with 70% of Clinton supporters—but only 41% of Trump supporters—reporting a great deal of confidence their votes will be counted accurately.

Americans are almost evenly divided over what constitutes the more significant problem with U.S. elections today: People casting votes who are not eligible (37%) or eligible voters being denied the right to vote (41%). Roughly one in ten (9%) Americans volunteer that voter apathy is the most significant problem.

• Roughly two-thirds (66%) of Republicans believe voter fraud is a bigger problem than voter disenfranchisement, compared to only 19% of Democrats. More than six in ten (62%) Democrats say eligible voters being denied access is the bigger problem facing the election system.

A majority (57%) of Americans agree politics and elections are controlled by people with money and by big corporations so it doesn’t matter if they vote, compared to roughly four in ten (42%) who disagree.

And while Democrats are quick to suggest that the voter concerns are mere paranoia provoked by remarks coming from the Trump campaign, a growing number of social media users are reporting having trouble casting ballots for Donald Trump in areas where early voting is underway.

Lisa Houlette, a Republican voter in Amarillo, Texas, recounted her voting trouble on Facebook:

Gary and I went to early vote today…I voted a straight Republican ticket and as I scrolled to submit my ballot I noticed that the Republican Straight ticket was highlighted, however, the clinton/kaine box was also highlighted! I tried to go back and change and could not get it to work. I asked for help from one of the workers and she couldn’t get it to go back either. It took a second election person to get the machine to where I could correct the vote to a straight ticket. Be careful and double check your selections before you cast your vote! Don’t hesitate to ask for help. I had to have help to get mine changed.

Another woman, Shandy Clark, reported from Alrington:

Gary and I went to early vote today…I voted a straight Republican ticket and as I scrolled to submit my ballot I noticed that the Republican Straight ticket was highlighted, however, the clinton/kaine box was also highlighted! I tried to go back and change and could not get it to work. I asked for help from one of the workers and she couldn’t get it to go back either. It took a second election person to get the machine to where I could correct the vote to a straight ticket. Be careful and double check your selections before you cast your vote! Don’t hesitate to ask for help. I had to have help to get mine changed.

There are also multiple warnings of vote-switching from users on a pro-Trump page on Reddit.

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