[Loud Mime]

Importantly, Republicans tied their claims of voter fraud to ostensible fraud prevention measures which would be most likely to depress Democratic turnout, but they ignored measures which would actually combat real problems of fraud. So Republicans pushed hard for voter identification laws, which would prevent one person from impersonating another at the polls.

But the tell that Republicans were not serious about fraud prevention was their failure to call for laws limiting absentee balloting to those with a valid excuse for not voting at the polling place. A recent News21 survey of prosecutions in all 50 states shows that vote buying through absentee ballots is a real—though relatively small— problem. That survey found that impersonation fraud is almost non-existent—10 allegations across the country in the last decade. It’s no wonder, as impersonation fraud is an exceedingly dumb way to seal an election.

No supporting data.

[rolling_stone]

It’s no wonder, as impersonation fraud is an exceedingly dumb way to seal an election.

most thieves crooks and many liberals are not known for being very smart...

[Boogieman]

Not only is there no supporting data, but also the argument itself is weak. Not calling for a law does nothing to imply that we wouldn’t support it if proposed. I haven’t heard any Democrats call for such legislation either, for that matter.

I think most Republicans would be happy to support legislation to prevent absentee ballot fraud. However, I’d want to see any such legislation include stronger provisions to make sure that absentee ballots were both distributed in the proper, timely manner, and that they were actually counted before the votes were certified.

[Boogieman]

Another thing I noticed:

“That survey found that impersonation fraud is almost non-existent—10 allegations across the country in the last decade.”

The way this is stated, it cannot possibly be the case that there were only 10 cases reported where in person vote fraud occured. The wording “impersonation fraud” leads me to think they are talking only about cases where a real, living, legitimate registered voter complained that someone else cast their vote. If that is true, it conveniently excludes registered voters voting in their own name multiple times, voting in the name of nonexistent people, voting using the names of dead people, or old invalid registrations of people who no longer live in the district to discover the fraud and report it, etc.

So, it seems to be the classic bait and switch. Contrast in person vote fraud with absentee ballot fraud, and then show some statistics for absentee ballot fraud versus just a small subset of in person vote fraud.

[eggman]

Of course there is no supporting data. They make a claim of only 10 allegations of impersonation fraud but how would anyone know a fraud was being committed if their is no voter ID requirement. Someone working at the polls would have to know the person being impersonated. The odds of that happening in most cities is almost nonexistent so the fraud would never be challenged.

If you aren't looking for something, you will likely never find evidence of it.