FACT CHECK: Was A Voting Machine in Arkansas Preventing a Voter From Choosing Donald Trump?
Multiple posts on X claim that a voting machine in Arkansas was stopping a voter from voting for Donald Trump, forcing them to vote for Kamala Harris instead.
🚨🚨🚨
Breaking!It’s happening again. This time in Arkansas.
Voter pushes Donald Trump on voting machine and it selects Kamala Harris!
This is election interference!
Share this out and keep exposing them! pic.twitter.com/xsty3ZClHa
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) October 31, 2024
Verdict: False
The issue was caused by voter error, there is no proof of any malfeasance.
Fact Check:
The 2024 Presidential Election will take place on November 5th, and the race between current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is very tight according to various polls. Voter fraud has been a hot topic amongst the general public during this election cycle, with the last two elections marred with accusations of malfeasance from both sides.
A post going viral on X shows early voting in another state, this time Arkansas. It claims that a voter was unable to select Donald Trump on their electronic voting machine screen, and automatically switched their vote to Harris instead. The text claims “It’s happening again,” referring to another instance where the same thing happened in Kentucky.
Like the Kentucky story, this post is misleading as well. The issue was attributed to voter error by local leaders. The voter was able to confirm their correct choice.
As tension surrounding the upcoming election ratchets up, conspiracy theories about rigged voting machines continue to circulate around the country and right here in Arkansas.https://t.co/kg0mB96kbM
— KATV News (@KATVNews) November 2, 2024
At the end of the video, the mother and daughter seen touching the screen were clearly able to make their selection for Donald Trump. While they did initially have an issue, it was likely due to both people touching the screen at the same time and in the wrong spots.
Voters in Faulkner County are encouraged to use stylus pencils to prevent this issue, and some voters claim that they were offered stylus at the polling place.
I did not click on the little box and I used the stylus that I was offered. Not my finger. It should not make a difference. I voted in Arkansas. I heard this before voting and it worked properly.
— Sharron Taylor (@norrahstaylor) November 1, 2024
Lead Stories contacted state and local authorities as well as the manufacturer of the voting machines, all of which confirmed that the issue was due to human error.