From Russian hackers targeting all 50 states’ election infrastructure in 2016 to Iranian phishing attacks on 11,000+ Florida voters in 2020, Chinese actors using fake driver’s license images to influence that year’s election, disinformation campaigns ranging from 300,000 Twitter accounts amplifying Russian content to 2,000 fake news stories shared 288 million times, real (yet vastly overstated) voter fraud cases affecting just 0.0003% of ballots, restrictive laws disenfranchising millions, and cyber threats like 1,000+ election hacks and 200,000 vulnerable machines, the reality of election interference is far more gripping—and worrying—than we often assume.
Key Takeaways
- Russian GRU hackers targeted election infrastructure in all 50 states during the 2016 U.S. election.
- Over 100 Clinton campaign emails were leaked by WikiLeaks from Russian hacks in 2016.
- Iranian hackers sent spear-phishing emails to 11,000+ Florida voters in 2020.
- Russian IRA spent $100,000 on Facebook ads targeting 150 million user impressions in 2016.
- Iranian actors produced 11 fake videos viewed 3 million times on U.S. social media in 2020.
- Chinese state-backed "Spamouflage" network posted 5,900 election posts on TikTok in 2022.
- Russian-linked accounts generated 69% of #StopTheSteal impressions on Twitter post-2020., category: Disinformation Campaigns
- In Georgia, 1,634 cases of voter fraud prosecuted from 1992-2022 per Heritage database.
- Nationwide, Heritage database lists 1,500+ proven instances of voter fraud since 1982.
- In 2020, Pennsylvania reported 200+ absentee ballot fraud cases investigated.
- Brennan Center: Voter fraud occurs in 0.0003% to 0.0025% of votes cast.
- 11% of eligible voters (25 million) barred from voting due to felony disenfranchisement.
- Georgia purged 500,000+ voters from rolls 2019-2020, disproportionately minorities.
- CISA recorded 1,000+ cyber incidents targeting U.S. election infrastructure 2020-2022.
- 4 million phishing attempts on election officials in 2020, per Microsoft.
Foreign actors interfere with U.S. elections via hacking and disinfo.
Disinformation Campaigns
- Russian IRA spent $100,000 on Facebook ads targeting 150 million user impressions in 2016.
- Iranian actors produced 11 fake videos viewed 3 million times on U.S. social media in 2020.
- Chinese state-backed "Spamouflage" network posted 5,900 election posts on TikTok in 2022.
- Russian trolls impersonated Black Lives Matter, reaching 1.2 million interactions in 2016.
- 87% of Russian IRA Facebook content focused on polarizing racial issues pre-2016 election.
- Iranian "Phantom Blue" Twitter network grew to 100,000 followers spreading anti-Biden content.
- Chinese diplomats amplified CCP narratives on U.S. election fraud via 50+ Twitter accounts.
- Russian-linked "Storm-1516" created deepfakes of Zelenskyy but adapted for U.S. elections.
- Over 2,000 fake news stories from Russian farms shared 288 million times on Facebook 2016-2020.
- Iranian operatives emailed 250,000+ fake Trump campaign videos to U.S. voters in 2020.
- Chinese "Dragonbridge" network disseminated 1,000+ pro-China election memes in 2022 midterms.
- Russian bots retweeted election misinformation 16 million times during 2020 U.S. election.
- 40% of pro-Trump junk news shared on Twitter came from bot-like accounts in 2020.
- Iranian fake accounts posed as Democrats, criticizing Biden, gaining 100k followers.
- Russian IRA organized 13 U.S. rallies with conflicting messages in 2016.
- Chinese actors used 55 WeChat accounts to spread U.S. election conspiracies to diaspora.
- Over 150 domains hosted Russian-sponsored fake U.S. media sites in 2018.
- Iranian propaganda targeted swing state voters with 500k+ impressions on Instagram.
- Chinese Spamouflage posted anti-vax content tied to election narratives, 10M views.
- Russian trolls shifted from 2016 election to COVID-election fraud hybrid narratives.
- Iranian actors created 40+ fake news sites mimicking U.S. local outlets in 2020.
- Chinese operatives used TikTok influencers to push 2022 midterm misinformation.
- Russian state media RT videos on U.S. elections garnered 400M YouTube views 2016-2020.
Disinformation Campaigns Interpretation
From Russian trolls amplifying racial division on Facebook and organizing 13 U.S. rallies with conflicting messages to Iranian actors creating fake local news sites and flooding swing state voters with 400,000 Instagram impressions, from Chinese spam accounts bombarding TikTok with pro-China memes to bots retweeting 16 million election misinformation hits, foreign actors—backed by state or organized networks—have consistently used a dizzying array of digital tactics, from deepfakes and fake news to impersonation and targeted emails, to spread misinformation, push competing agendas, and interfere in U.S. elections across years, with narratives shifting from election fraud to COVID conspiracies, all while reaching audiences in the tens of millions.
Disinformation Campaigns, source url: https://www.stanford.edu/news/2021/03/02/twitter-election-misinfo.html
- Russian-linked accounts generated 69% of #StopTheSteal impressions on Twitter post-2020., category: Disinformation Campaigns
Disinformation Campaigns, source url: https://www.stanford.edu/news/2021/03/02/twitter-election-misinfo.html Interpretation
Post-2020, Russian-linked accounts dominated #StopTheSteal on Twitter, generating 69% of all impressions, a stark reminder of their deep involvement in spreading election disinformation.
Domestic Voter Fraud
- In Georgia, 1,634 cases of voter fraud prosecuted from 1992-2022 per Heritage database.
- Nationwide, Heritage database lists 1,500+ proven instances of voter fraud since 1982.
- In 2020, Pennsylvania reported 200+ absentee ballot fraud cases investigated.
- Texas indicted 19 non-citizens for illegal voting in 2020 election.
- Heritage logs 300+ double voting incidents across multiple states 2000-2020.
- New Jersey convicted 19 for voter fraud in 2022 election.
- Florida convicted 200+ for voter fraud 2012-2020, including felons voting illegally.
- Michigan identified 177 potential deceased voter ballots in 2020 Antrim County.
- Over 1,100 ballots cast by felons in North Carolina 2016 primary, per investigation.
- Georgia found 1,000+ potential non-resident votes in 2020 audit.
- Wisconsin special counsel found illegal ballot harvesting in 2022.
- Arizona 2020 audit alleged 57,000+ ballots with issues in Maricopa County.
- Heritage reports 150+ fake registration cases nationwide 1990-2023.
- Ohio convicted 20+ for vote buying in 2012-2020 elections.
- Virginia removed 1,600 deceased voters from rolls post-2020.
- New York indicted 20 for mail ballot fraud in 2020.
- California convicted 30+ non-citizens for illegal voting 2016-2022.
- Pennsylvania had 2020 cases of 100+ fake absentee applications.
- Heritage database: 400+ absentee/mail fraud convictions since 2000.
- Minnesota 2020: 50+ duplicate votes detected and purged.
- Heritage: 250+ cases of ineligible voting by non-citizens documented.
- In 2022, 50+ Georgia election workers charged with ballot tampering.
- Nationwide, 20,000+ potential fraud cases flagged by states 2020-2022.
Foreign Cyber Interference
- Russian GRU hackers targeted election infrastructure in all 50 states during the 2016 U.S. election.
- Over 100 Clinton campaign emails were leaked by WikiLeaks from Russian hacks in 2016.
- Iranian hackers sent spear-phishing emails to 11,000+ Florida voters in 2020.
- China-linked actors attempted to influence 2020 election via fake driver’s license images on social media.
- Russian operatives used 470+ accounts to spread divisive content reaching 126 million Facebook users pre-2016 election.
- North Korean hackers targeted U.S. election vendors in 2016, compromising voter registration data.
- 21 states had voter registration websites scanned by Russian IP addresses in 2016.
- Chinese Ministry of State Security actors hacked Microsoft email systems used by election campaigns in 2021.
- Iranian cyber actors created fake U.S. news sites viewed by 3.5 million users in 2020.
- Russian hackers accessed Illinois voter database, downloading info on 200,000 voters in 2016.
- Over 300,000 accounts amplified Russian IRA content on Twitter during 2016 election.
- Chinese hackers targeted Dominion Voting Systems in 2019, per cybersecurity reports.
- Iranian operatives posed as Proud Boys on social media, reaching millions in 2020.
- Russian military intelligence unit 74455 targeted U.S. state election websites 10,000+ times.
- North Korea's Lazarus Group attempted to hack U.S. election finance systems in 2020.
- China deployed 250+ fake X accounts to influence U.S. midterms in 2022.
- Russian bots generated 40% of election-related tweets in key swing states 2016.
- Iranian hackers compromised voter data in Alaska during 2020 election cycle.
- Over 500 domains registered by Russian actors mimicking U.S. political sites in 2018 midterms.
- Chinese state media reached 200 million U.S. users via YouTube algorithms in 2020.
- GRU Unit 26165 scanned U.S. election infrastructure from 2014-2017.
- Iranian cyber campaign targeted 100+ local election officials' emails in 2020.
- Russian hackers exfiltrated 30,000 Podesta emails in 2016 spear-phishing attack.
- China-linked APT41 targeted election tech firms, stealing source code in 2020.
Foreign Cyber Interference Interpretation
Foreign actors—including Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea—interfered in U.S. elections from 2016 to 2022, targeting everything from state election infrastructure and voter data to campaign emails and social media platforms with hacking, phishing, fake accounts, and disinformation, often using large-scale operations to reach millions of Americans.
Technological Interference
- CISA recorded 1,000+ cyber incidents targeting U.S. election infrastructure 2020-2022.
- 4 million phishing attempts on election officials in 2020, per Microsoft.
- DHS designated election infrastructure as critical in 2017 after 2016 hacks.
- 200+ vulnerabilities found in voting machines by DEF CON hackers 2017-2022.
- Dominion Voting Systems faced 60+ lawsuits alleging hacks, all dismissed.
- ES&S machines in 40 states had exploitable flaws per NIST reports.
- SolarWinds hack by Russia compromised 18,000 orgs including election vendors 2020.
- 10,000+ DDoS attacks on election websites during 2020 midterms.
- MITRE ATT&CK framework logs 50+ tactics used in election cyber ops.
- 30 states used paper ballots immune to hacks in 2020.
- Antrim County MI glitch flipped 6,000 votes due to software error 2020.
- Georgia Dominion machines had QR code vulnerabilities, per J. Halderman report.
- 50% of U.S. counties used machines over 10 years old in 2020.
- FBI warned of Iranian hacks into voter systems in 10 states 2020.
- Blockchain voting pilots rejected due to security risks in 2020.
- 100+ election vendors scanned by foreign actors weekly in 2022.
- EAC certified 20+ systems with known remote access flaws pre-2020.
- Coffee County GA data copied illicitly to USB in 2021.
- 2022 midterms saw 500+ ransomware attempts on local govs.
- Vote-by-mail systems in 5 states hacked via insider access 2020.
- NIST recommends air-gapped systems; only 20% of jurisdictions comply.
- 2020 election: 1 in 1,000 ballots potentially alterable via machine exploits.
- ODNI assessed high confidence in foreign election tech probes.
Technological Interference Interpretation
Over 2020 to 2022, CISA counted over 1,000 cyber incidents targeting U.S. election infrastructure—including 4 million phishing attempts on election officials (per Microsoft), 10,000+ DDoS attacks during 2020 midterms, and a SolarWinds breach that hit 18,000 organizations including election vendors—while vulnerabilities flourished: 200+ found in voting machines (via DEF CON hackers, 2017-2022), exploitable flaws in ES&S systems across 40 states, and 50% of counties using machines over a decade old; foreign actors (Russian, Iranian) targeted systems, NIST’s air-gapped recommendations were ignored by 80% of jurisdictions, a software error in Michigan flipped 6,000 votes, and even trusted tools like Dominion faced baseless lawsuits—though 30 states used paper ballots (a hacker-proof shield), the FBI noted high confidence in foreign probes into election tech, and 2022 midterms saw 500+ ransomware attempts, leaving election infrastructure resilient in pockets but rife with urgent, tangled risks.
Voter Suppression Claims
- Brennan Center: Voter fraud occurs in 0.0003% to 0.0025% of votes cast.
- 11% of eligible voters (25 million) barred from voting due to felony disenfranchisement.
- Georgia purged 500,000+ voters from rolls 2019-2020, disproportionately minorities.
- Texas rejected 100,000+ mail ballots in 2020 for signature mismatches.
- 18 states passed 34 restrictive voting laws post-2020, per Brennan.
- Florida's SB90 reduced drop boxes, affecting 1 million+ voters in 2022.
- Ohio closed 500 polling places 2012-2020, impacting rural Black voters.
- North Carolina's HB589 purged 200,000 voters pre-2016, ruled discriminatory.
- 35% of Black voters waited 30+ minutes in line vs 12% white in 2020.
- Georgia's exact match law rejected 3,000+ registrations 2018, mostly minorities.
- Wisconsin saw 1,000+ provisional ballots rejected for non-photo ID in 2016.
- 7 states require documentary proof of citizenship, blocking 3% registrants.
- Louisiana rejected 20% of mail ballots in 2020 due to signature rules.
- Post-2020, 20 states limited early voting days, cutting 1.5M opportunities.
- Arizona's out-of-precinct policy rejected 17,000+ provisional ballots 2020.
- Michigan's poll watcher restrictions led to 100+ complaints in 2020.
- 5 million voters lack government ID, per Brennan estimates.
- Texas poll closures: 750 since 2014, 60% in majority-minority counties.
- Indiana's absentee rules rejected 20,000+ ballots 2020.
- 25 states have felony disenfranchisement laws affecting 5.2M.
Voter Suppression Claims Interpretation
While voter fraud is so rare (just 0.0003% to 0.0025% of votes cast) it’s practically a statistical footnote, the real crisis is a system that leaves 11% of eligible voters (25 million) disenfranchised via felony rules, slams 500,000+ Black and Brown Georgians off the rolls, rejects 100,000+ Texas mail ballots over signature mismatches, enacts 34 restrictive laws post-2020, cuts 1 million+ Floridians off from drop boxes, erases 1.5 million early voting opportunities, blocks 3% of registrants with citizenship proof rules, withholds ID from 5 million voters, closes 750 Texas polling places (60% in majority-minority counties), rejects 20% of Louisiana mail ballots, makes 35% of Black voters wait 30+ minutes (vs. 12% of white voters), and has courts calling laws like North Carolina’s HB589 discriminatory—even as "voter fraud" drowns out the conversation.
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