From Dave Helling at the KC Star:
A new database compiled by News 21, a journalism education program, attempts to quantify the problem of voter fraud in the United States. You can use the database here.
The data suggests voters fraud isn’t much of a problem, but that Kansas is ground zero for states where it is a concern.
Here are the numbers of reported cases of voter fraud for five states, all with similar populations, since 2000:
STATE POP. FRAUD CASES
Mississippi 3 million 74
Arkansas 2.9 million 6
Kansas 2.9 million 216
Utah 2.8 million 51
Nevada 2.7 million 2
So you can see the problem.
The story doesn’t suggest why Kansas is such an outlier in voter fraud cases. And it isn’t clear from looking at the specific cases why there are so many in the state.
Overall, the study found, voter fraud is a miniscule concern, particularly impersonation of a voter. Most improper votes are cast by people who are confused about registration status.
Quoting from the story:
“Voter fraud at the polls is an insignificant aspect of American elections,” said elections expert David Schultz, professor of public policy at Hamline University School of Business in St. Paul, Minn.
“There is absolutely no evidence that (voter impersonation fraud) has affected the outcome of any election in the United States, at least any recent election in the United States,” Schultz said.
Read more here: http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/whats-matter-kansas/#storylink=cpy
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