Election interference involves efforts to sway voters through false narratives about voting systems or government institutions. Its underlying drivers include mistrust and partisan division, and as new technology allows more sophisticated disruption actors, it is increasingly challenging to detect and counter. As a result, electoral authorities are concerned that the integrity of elections is at risk (Ferrara, 2024).
While concerns about foreign interference in US elections have become the focus of much hot air among politicians and media outlets alike, these discussions often fail to construct a full picture. They overlook three important considerations.
First, they tend to ignore broader patterns of digital manipulation. The most successful digital interference campaigns are those that rely on multiple tactics. For example, the campaign by Russian hackers in 2016 included a mix of information warfare and social media manipulation. The latter helped fuel the gullibility of the public and contributed to the rise of false stories that could sway voters (Hall Jamieson, 2018).
Second, they frequently overlook domestic interference threats. Examples include routine and frivolous challenges to a voter’s eligibility by election workers or private citizens without a stated good faith basis; displaying campaign materials near or at ballot drop boxes, polling stations or USPS mailboxes; intimidating poll workers or third parties involved in the administration of an election; and direct confrontation or questioning of voters. These activities are prohibited by state and federal law.
Amid this broader backdrop of election interference, we have seen an uptick in the number of cases of intimidation of poll workers and others involved in the administration of elections. The use of social media to spread racially exploitative fearmongering is increasing, as are online threats against elected officials, including threats of violence on Election Day.
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