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NEW: Conservative Twitter exploded yesterday with claims of proof that dead people voted in Michigan.
We looked into it. The evidence indicates that this was not fraud, but rather something much less salacious: Run-of-the-mill clerical errors. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/06/technology/how-claims-of-dead-michigan-voters-spread-faster-than-the-facts.html
We looked into it. The evidence indicates that this was not fraud, but rather something much less salacious: Run-of-the-mill clerical errors. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/06/technology/how-claims-of-dead-michigan-voters-spread-faster-than-the-facts.html
It began Wednesday night with tweets from @fleccas, an Ivy League offensive lineman turned right-wing internet journalist.
He had indeed found some bizarre voter files on the state of Michigan website. It appeared people born between 1900 and 1902 had sent in absentee ballots.
He had indeed found some bizarre voter files on the state of Michigan website. It appeared people born between 1900 and 1902 had sent in absentee ballots.
By Thursday morning, his posts were the talk of the Republican internet. Candace Owens, James Woods, Jack Posobiec were all sharing them, reaching millions of people. The Gateway Pundit put up a story. This was clear proof of election fraud, many said.
One of the strange voter files that @fleccas spotted was Donna Brydges of Hamlin Township, Mich., born in January 1901.
When I reached Hamlin's election clerk, she immediately knew why I was calling. "She's a legal voter," she said. Ms. Brydges was born in 1945.
When I reached Hamlin's election clerk, she immediately knew why I was calling. "She's a legal voter," she said. Ms. Brydges was born in 1945.
The clerk knew because the problem was caught weeks earlier. Ms. Brydges's DOB wasn't in the state system, so she was assigned the default date: 01/01/01. January 1, 1901.
The clerk got a copy of her ID so she could vote by mail. Her voter file just hadn't yet been updated.
The clerk got a copy of her ID so she could vote by mail. Her voter file just hadn't yet been updated.
The state of Michigan put out this statement in response to @fleccas's viral tweets, which were shared hundreds of thousands of times.
The state said it rejects any ballots of people who have died.
The state's message has been retweeted >450 times. https://twitter.com/MichSoS/status/1324391461014675456?s=20
The state said it rejects any ballots of people who have died.
The state's message has been retweeted >450 times. https://twitter.com/MichSoS/status/1324391461014675456?s=20
These tweets, our story & other news outlets' reporting on this topic almost certainly won't reach as many people as @fleccas's original claims, which, at best, lacked critical context.
So: Many people who already read and shared those claims won't hear the truth behind them.
So: Many people who already read and shared those claims won't hear the truth behind them.
Yes, voter fraud is sexier than clerical errors. But it's also because social media creates echo chambers where we largely only hear from like-minded voices.
Plus, President Trump’s years of attacks on the media have also caused many of his supporters to distrust journalists.
Plus, President Trump’s years of attacks on the media have also caused many of his supporters to distrust journalists.
The result is that many Americans already appear to believe the 2020 election was undermined by widespread fraud despite virtually any real evidence.
Journalists have debunked the claims but they continue to spread faster than the facts.
Journalists have debunked the claims but they continue to spread faster than the facts.
Take, for instance, the claim that a big tranche of Michigan votes went 100% to Biden, with no votes for Trump.
I and others debunked this on Wednesday.
That claim came from a typo that was caught within 30 minutes. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/technology/biden-michigan-votes.html
I and others debunked this on Wednesday.
That claim came from a typo that was caught within 30 minutes. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/technology/biden-michigan-votes.html
Yet after this was proven and reported widely, President Trump and his supporters continued to use this conspiracy theory as Exhibit A of voter fraud.
I laid it out here: https://twitter.com/jacknicas/status/1324109747906371585?s=20
I laid it out here: https://twitter.com/jacknicas/status/1324109747906371585?s=20
Even @MattMackowiak, the GOP consultant who first shared the discrepancy in the Michigan numbers, later deleted his tweet & clarified it was an error that was fixed.
His initial images reached millions of people. His correction was retweeted 3,600 times. https://twitter.com/MattMackowiak/status/1324041161321992192?s=20
His initial images reached millions of people. His correction was retweeted 3,600 times. https://twitter.com/MattMackowiak/status/1324041161321992192?s=20
Yet, a day later, President Trump cited this false claim again at the White House.
Let's be clear: This is completely fiction. No such votes were awarded to Joe Biden. Multiple news outlets and elections officials have debunked this entirely.
Let's be clear: This is completely fiction. No such votes were awarded to Joe Biden. Multiple news outlets and elections officials have debunked this entirely.
I thought maybe this was just the president.
But immediately after the White House press conference, the former education secretary @WilliamJBennett parroted the exact same claim on Fox News as his sole evidence of voter fraud.
But immediately after the White House press conference, the former education secretary @WilliamJBennett parroted the exact same claim on Fox News as his sole evidence of voter fraud.
If you made it this far, here's my story where we go even deeper.
And, please subscribe to a news organization. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/06/technology/false-dead-michigan-voter-claims.html
And, please subscribe to a news organization. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/06/technology/false-dead-michigan-voter-claims.html
Here's a new thread examining the new claims rocketing around the internet: That software glitches are rewarding votes to Joe Biden.
It's not exactly what it seems (as you might have guessed by now). https://twitter.com/jacknicas/status/1325074066949218304?s=20
It's not exactly what it seems (as you might have guessed by now). https://twitter.com/jacknicas/status/1325074066949218304?s=20
