A collage of social media posts contains various false claims about the November 2022 midterm elections, including that garbage collectors found thousands of ballots in the trash, that Arizona Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs was pictured in a secure voting area and that a video showed an election worker in Philadelphia committing fraud. The News Literacy Project has added a label that says, “MIDTERM MISINFORMATION.”

#ElectionMisinformation

#ConspiratorialThinking

A collage of social media posts contains various false claims about the November 2022 midterm elections, including that garbage collectors found thousands of ballots in the trash, that Arizona Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs was pictured in a secure voting area and that a video showed an election worker in Philadelphia committing fraud. The News Literacy Project has added a label that says, “MIDTERM MISINFORMATION.”

#ElectionMisinformation

#ConspiratorialThinking

Midterm misinformation continues to spread

Baseless claims about fraud and other improprieties during the 2022 midterm elections continue to spread online in the aftermath of voting. Let’s look at the facts.

Quick Look

The Takeaway

As states continue to certify the results of the 2022 midterm elections, baseless rumors and conspiratorial claims about election fraud continue to circulate on social media. But there is no evidence supporting them. These false claims follow established patterns of election disinformation: misinterpreted actions of poll workers, misconstrued technical glitches, typos, satirical claims mistaken as authentic and out-of-context photos and video.

Many of these false claims don’t merely challenge election results, they also alter public confidence in the election system. All available evidence, however, shows that the 2022 midterm elections, like the 2020 presidential election, were safe, secure and devoid of significant fraud.

The 5 Factors

We’ve determined that this viral rumor is misleading or false based on its failure to pass the following credibility factors. Please note that these factors do not represent degrees of falsehood. A post that fails a single factor is generally just as false as a post that fails all five.

Snapshot

  • Source

  • Evidence

  • Context

  • Authenticity
  • Reasoning
Source

Has it been posted or confirmed by a credible source?

No.

These rumors were all pushed by hyperpartisan social media accounts and websites. None were reported by credible sources.

Evidence

Is there evidence that proves the claim?

No.

There is no evidence supporting any of the above claims. Election officials and fact-checkers have investigated several claims about voter fraud and have discounted them.

Context

Is the context accurate?

No.

Many of these posts present photos, videos and data out of context. Remember, purveyors of misinformation often attach false captions to photos and videos of mundane activities to make it seem as if something suspicious took place.

Authenticity

Is it authentic?

N/A

Reasoning

Is it based on solid reasoning?

N/A