WHAT IS ELECTION FRAUD? 1. In General Election fraud involves a substantive irregularity relating to the voting act – such as bribery, intimidation, or forgery – which has the potential to taint the election itself. During the past century and a half, Congress and the federal courts have articulated the following constitutional principles concerning the right to vote in the United States. Any activity intended to interfere corruptly with any of the principles indicated below may be actionable as a federal crime: • All qualified citizens are eligible to vote. • All qualified voters have the right to have their votes counted fairly and honestly. • Invalid ballots dilute the worth of valid ballots, and therefore will not be counted. • Every qualified voter has the right to make a personal and independent election decision. • Qualified voters may opt not to participate in an election. • Voting shall not be influenced by bribery or intimidation. Simply put, then, election fraud is conduct intended to corrupt: • The process by which ballots are obtained, marked, or tabulated, • The process by which election results are canvassed and certified, or • The process by which voters are registered. 22