Summary
Following the 2024 election results, claims of election fraud began circulating among left-leaning social media users. These claims, which lacked substantial evidence, mirrored the election denial narratives that emerged after the 2020 election, albeit to a lesser extent.
The resurgence of these claims was fueled by the noticeable difference in popular vote totals between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden from the previous election. As Harris’s total stood at around 69 million votes compared to Biden’s 81 million in 2020, some users suggested that the discrepancy indicated missing Democratic ballots. This narrative gained traction despite the fact that votes were still being tallied, and various factors, including voter turnout and the timing of ballot counting, contributed to the differences in vote totals. While some left-leaning accounts shared their doubts about the integrity of the election process, researchers noted that these claims did not achieve the same level of prominence or virality as the right-wing narratives from 2020, indicating a disparity in organizational infrastructure and amplification on social media platforms.
Emergence of Claims
- Following the election, users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) began posting about “missing” votes, suggesting that the lower turnout for Harris compared to Biden was indicative of fraud.
- These posts often referenced disproven theories from the 2020 election, such as allegations of ballot dumps.
Lack of Infrastructure
- Unlike the well-coordinated right-wing efforts seen in the aftermath of the 2020 election, the left’s claims lacked a similar organized structure for dissemination.
- Prominent left-leaning figures did not encourage or amplify these narratives to the same extent as their right-wing counterparts.
Trust in Election Integrity
- The ongoing discourse surrounding election fraud reflects broader concerns about trust in the electoral process among voters from both political spectrums.
- Experts emphasized the importance of separating disappointment over election outcomes from faith in the electoral system and its administration.
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