Key facts
- President Trump offered a $1 million reward for voter fraud convictions.
- Studies indicate postal voting fraud is extremely rare.
- Non-citizen voting in US federal elections is illegal and has very few proven cases.
- The Heritage Foundation database recorded 325 convictions for fraudulent postal ballots over 20 years.
- 24 cases of non-citizens convicted for voting were identified between 2005 and 2025.
President Donald Trump has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to a conviction for voter fraud, while alleging widespread cheating in US elections, particularly concerning postal voting and non-citizens. However, extensive studies and analyses suggest that actual instances of such fraud are extremely rare.
The Heritage Foundation's database, which tracks convictions for electoral fraud, recorded 325 cases related to the fraudulent use of postal ballots over the past 20 years. A 2020 study by the American Statistical Association found no evidence that voting by mail increases the overall risk of voter fraud.
Regarding non-citizens voting, it is illegal in US federal elections. The Heritage Foundation database identified 24 convictions for non-citizens voting between 2005 and 2025. A Reuters analysis over 30 years found 129 people criminally charged and 73 convicted for non-citizen voting.
Trump's efforts to implement stricter voting measures, such as requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship, and to use federal databases to verify voter eligibility, have faced legal challenges and scrutiny regarding their potential impact on voter turnout and accuracy.