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Election irregularities in the United States, 2018-2025
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This article lists reported cases of irregularities in various elections. Examples include situations when officials extended polling hours due to machine malfunctions, ballot counting issues, ballot shortages, and more.
Please note that this list is not comprehensive. It is compiled from incidents reported in the media and sent in by readers. To read more about the methodology we used when collecting these cases, click here.
As of January 2025, Ballotpedia had collected 43 reported incidents of election irregularities in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Twenty-three of them took place in 2024, three in 2023, eight in 2022, five in 2020, and four in 2018.
If you know of cases we are missing, please contact us.
Cases by state
Number of cases by state
The map below shows the number of reported cases of election irregularities between 2018 and 2024 collected by Ballotpedia.
This information is not comprehensive.
List of cases
The table below lists cases of election irregularities that have been reported in the United States from 2018 to 2024. You can click on the column headers to sort the table by state, city or county, type of incident, or date. You can also use the search box below to search for any cases in the table.
Please note that the list below is not comprehensive. It is compiled from incidents reported in the media and sent in by readers. If you know of cases we are missing, please contact us.
Methodology
This page is updated on an annual basis in February and in response to newly reported cases that are either submitted by readers or obtained from media sources.
The cases included in this page detail instances in which one or multiple steps in the standard voting process were interrupted, delayed, or otherwise disrupted due to voting system issues. Such issues may include ballot-counting issues, machine malfunctions, or ballot shortages. Additionally, this page includes incidents in which the certification or vote-counting process was delayed or voting precincts were required to stay open beyond their scheduled closing time as a result of voting system issues, as ordered by a court of law or election officials.
This list is not comprehensive. The information above was compiled from media reports and submissions from readers. Ballotpedia has not independently verified the accuracy of the included incidents.
Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia
Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation TrackerBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.
Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation ReportsBallotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.
These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
Subscribe to The Ballot BulletinThe Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.
The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.
- The Ballot Bulletin: September 5, 2025
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See also
- Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk
- Ballotpedia's 2022 Election Help Desk
- Ballotpedia's 2024 Election Help Desk
- Election recount laws and procedures in the 50 states, 2020
Footnotes
