President Donald Trump announced a $1 million reward for individuals who report voter fraud cases resulting in convictions, expressing concerns about election security ahead of midterm voting. Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread cheating through mail-in voting and participation by non-citizens, though research organizations have found such instances to be exceedingly uncommon.
Regarding postal voting fraud specifically, the Brookings Institute examined elections from 2016 through 2022 and identified approximately four fraud convictions per 10 million mail-in ballots cast. A database maintained by the Heritage Foundation, which tracks convictions related to electoral fraud, documented 325 cases of fraudulent postal ballot use over a 20-year period. A 2020 study by the American Statistical Association examined eight states with universal mail-in voting and found no evidence that this voting method increased fraud risk overall. Oregon, for example, processed more than 100 million postal ballots between 2000 and 2020 while recording just 40 fraud cases.
Concerning non-citizen voting, Trump has contended that this represents a significant problem. However, the Heritage Foundation’s database identified only 24 convictions of non-citizens voting between 2005 and 2025. A 2026 Reuters analysis of federal court cases spanning 30 years found 129 criminal charges related to non-citizen voting, with 73 resulting in convictions. Election experts note that the legal consequences for non-citizens voting, including potential imprisonment, fines, and deportation, create substantial deterrents.
Trump has advocated for voting reforms including stricter voter identification requirements and proof of citizenship. His proposed legislation would require government-issued photo identification at polling places. Critics argue such measures could reduce voter participation, particularly among citizens lacking readily available identification documents. A 2023 survey indicated approximately 21.3 million voting-age citizens lack readily available citizenship documentation. Trump also promoted the SAVE database for identifying and removing suspected non-citizens from voter rolls, though this proposal faced legal challenges including a Supreme Court rejection of a related executive order that the justices deemed “arbitrary and capricious.”
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