The Unseen Threat to Election Integrity: Are Dead Voters the Future of Democracy?

As the next presidential election approaches, a controversial debate is gaining attention surrounding the eligibility of deceased individuals to cast votes. While some states adhere to strict guidelines, others have found loopholes that can lead to significant voter fraud.

Early Voting and Deceased Voters

Depending on state law, a person must be alive on election day for their vote to count. However, for early or absentee voting, some states will still count the votes of deceased individuals if they were registered before their death. This practice, often referred to as 'voting from the graveyard,' raises serious concerns about election integrity.

Dead Voters and Voter Fraud

The concept of 'voting from the graveyard' has been used as a running joke, most notably by Ray Stevens in his song "My Grandpa Voted Democrat." However, this is not a humorous issue. In many Democrat-run states, voter fraud involving the registration of deceased individuals on voter rolls is a well-documented problem.

In several states, voter registration rolls contain names of deceased individuals, often due to inadequate record-keeping. These invalid names remain on the rolls because people who are registered may move to another state or simply pass away. Some states have even recorded more names on their voter registration rolls than the total number of qualified adult citizens, including those who cannot vote because of age or felony status.

These issues are not just theoretical. A 2016 study by Judicial Watch, a national watchdog organization, found over 3.5 million invalid names on voter registration rolls in 38 states. Their recent study conducted earlier this year showed improvement, with only 29 states now having this issue. Judicial Watch succeeded in this improvement by suing several states and requiring them to comply with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)

The National Voter Registration Act, commonly known as the Motor-Voter Law, was enacted in 1993. Its primary goal is to increase voter registration by making it easier for citizens to register and ensuring that registration rolls are accurate and up-to-date. The act requires states to update their voter registration system to include information from driver's license records, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records, and other government agencies.

Since 1993, efforts to enforce and improve the NVRA have led to a reduction in the number of invalid names on voter registration rolls. According to Judicial Watch, only 1.8 million 'extra' names remain on various state voter registration rolls.

Extra Voter Names and Election Integrity Concerns

The presence of 'extra' names poses serious integrity risks. States with no voter ID requirements can allow virtually anyone to enter polling locations and vote, whether or not they are eligible citizens. All that is required is to provide a name, presumably one of the unused 'extra' names on the registration rolls, to a poll worker. This system is ripe for exploitation and has led to claims of voter fraud and manipulation.

Moreover, 353 out of 3,059 U.S. counties in 29 states have voter registration rates exceeding 100 percent. This means that the county's population is larger than the number of registered voters, raising significant questions about the validity of the data. These 'extra' names are a major threat to election integrity and must be addressed.

Tackling the Issue of Voter Fraud

To combat voter fraud and ensure the integrity of our democratic process, several steps must be taken. First, states need to enforce and improve their voter registration processes. Second, there should be mandatory voter ID requirements to verify the identity and citizenship status of voters. Third, regular audits and purges of voter registration rolls must be conducted to remove invalid names.

The future of democracy may very well depend on how effectively we address these challenges. By ensuring that only eligible, living citizens can participate in the electoral process, we can maintain the trust and fairness of our democracy.