How to avoid getting duped by election season misinformation

The rise of social media has brought a surge in misinformation that can travel at the speed of a finger clicking a “share” button. In recent years, “fake news” has become one of the biggest concerns during election season for local, state and federal governments.

Remember when accusations were made against Pennsylvania, that thousands of dead people were casting ballots in the 2020 Election? Misinformation like that spreads quickly, but according to a former Philadelphia City Commissioner of elections, it’s one of the “easiest things in the world” to disprove.

“You know from the Social Security death index when somebody died and you know from the voter registration record when a vote is cast,” said Al Schmidt, now president of the independent elections and government watchdog group Committee of Seventy. “When you compare the Social Security death index with the voter registration record — as I did when I was in office — there was no evidence of dead people voting.”

Between misleading quotes from political candidates to targeted social media advertisements containing false information, misinformation can be found anywhere. There’s no time like an election season to hone your critical thinking skills and ensure you don’t get duped.

Misinformation is false or misleading information. When that misinformation is used to intentionally deceive people, it is called disinformation. In elections, it’s usually used to try and get a particular candidate elected or cast doubt on the election process.

Mis- and disinformation can come in the form of quotes from political candidates or partisan organizations, viral social media campaigns, or spam calls, emails and texts.

Common examples of election misinformation are:

Don’t believe everything you see and hear. According to Schmidt, people need to be aware that there are political operatives actively spreading misinformation leading up to and on Election Day.

In October, the FBI confirmed foreign actors are likely to use misinformation tactics during the 2022 Midterm Elections, as they have in previous elections.

When you see information regarding the election, don’t share it with others right away. Check out where the source of information is coming from and cross reference with other sources like the local election board, government and reputable news outlets.

Your number one sources for verifiable election information is your county’s local election board and Pennsylvania’s Department of State.

Remember, the official results of the election will not be ready the night of the election. Media unofficially announce winners of elections using available election data from official sources, the Associated Press and others, but that doesn’t mean it’s certified yet. Most votes will be reported within hours of polls closing at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, and the vast majority should be counted by the next day.

There are also Philly organizations not affiliated with political parties that are good sources of information:

For election questions, you can also get help from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission at eac.gov. If you need to fact check information, you can use Snopes or PolitiFact.

The city’s election board and state and federal law enforcement agencies work together to share and investigate complaints of misinformation.

It’s a group and year-round effort.

Philly’s election board works on the ground through initiatives like Commissioner Omar Sabir’s Octavius V. Catto voter outreach task force, partnering with groups like Committee of Seventy, to ensure voters have access to accurate information, host community events to engage residents and provide outreach and election information through social media. The local election board also debunks misinformation when needed, like Schmidt did in 2020 as city commissioner.

The District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office and the Pennsylvania Dept. of State collaborate with local election boards on investigating complaints and monitoring election security. The FBI is available in all steps of the election process to investigate criminal issues when needed.

Together, these agencies prepare for a variety of scenarios, including election fraud, voter suppression, foreign election interference, cyber attacks against election infrastructure, and threats to election workers.