Election fraud has a long history in the United States including Tammany Hall’s machine politics in the 19th century, Mayor Daly’s manipulation of Chicago elections, including John Kennedy’s 20th century cliff hanger defeat of Richard Nixon in 1960. The election of George W. Bush in the year 2000 has been debated as to being manipulation or the failure of electronic voting machines to record the votes accurately.
Election Fraud Definitions
Election fraud has been defined by the United States Attorney’s Office as activities designed to subvert the integrity of the election process. These include:
- Depriving citizens of their right to fair elections or to conspire to do so.
- Bribing or intimidating voters.
- Causing ballots to be cast fraudulently in the names of individuals who did not vote (ballot stuffing..
- Voting more than once.
- Altering or falsely reporting the vote count.
- Challenging qualified voters without cause in bad faith.
- Harassing persons seeking to vote for the purpose of discouraging their vote.
It is also unlawful to deny or abridge anyone’s right to vote because of race, color or national origin. Voters who are disabled, elderly, blind or unable to read English are required to have such assistance as necessary. In counties with substantial non-English speaking voters, languages other than English must be provided.
Election Fraud Books
Election fraud books that provide insight into voting irregularities in the United States include:
- Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition-1724-2004 by Tracy Campbell (Basic Books, 2005) highlights the imperfect aspects of American elections, covering such known problems as the undemocratic practices of the urban political machines during the 19th and early 20th century. From Campbell’s evidence, free and fair elections, including that of 2000, emphasize that the problem has not gone away.
- Election Fraud: Detecting and Deferring Electoral Manipulation by R. Michael Alvarez, (Editor), Thad E. Hall, (Editor) and Susan D. Hyde, (Editor) (Brookings Institution Press, 2008). Presents research on defining, measuring, and detecting election fraud and electoral manipulation by leading scholars of election law, election administration and U.S. and comparative politics.
- Electronic Elections: The Perils and Promises of Digital Democracy by R. Michael Alvarez (Princeton University Press, 2008) presents both sides of the debate about electronic voting. Critics say that the new technologies invite tampering and fraud. Advocates say they enhance the accuracy of the vote counts and make casting ballots easier and thus foster greater political participation. Electronic Elections assesses the advantages and risks associated with different ways of casting ballots.
The U. S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office ability to enforce federal voting laws depend to a large extent on the watchfulness and cooperation of voters. Therefore, according to a spokesman, it is imperative that anyone being asked to participate in voter fraud and illegal election practices, or observed in such practices, or who have information bearing on such behavior, make it known to the FBI or the United States Attorney.
Sources:
Office of the United States Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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