Following the conclusion of the 2020 general election, the perception of fairness in American elections became increasingly politically polarized. The attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was driven in part by high profile political figures promoting unproven claims of widespread election fraud. Many of these claims had originated on or had been spread through viral social media posts created on or shortly after Election Day. This report traces many of the narratives and viral falsehoods that focused on election administration in eight key states, as well as analyzes national patterns in election-related disinformation.
Authors: Alex Zaheer, Toni Friedman, Adriana Stephan, Chase Small, Jack Cable, and Pierce Lowary