Nearly 50% of Americans Believe Non-Citizens Vote: Fact vs. Fiction | Internewscast

Nearly half of Americans—49%—believe non-citizens are casting votes in U.S. Elections, according to recent polling data. This misconception persists despite evidence to the contrary, as investigations consistently reveal that instances of non-citizen voting are exceedingly rare.

The findings, reported by Internewscast Journal, highlight a widespread belief that contradicts official investigations and research into election integrity. The report first appeared on Internewscast Journal on May 1, 2026.

Election officials and government bodies have undertaken thorough investigations into claims of non-citizen voting in every state. These investigations consistently demonstrate that sweeping allegations are often based on misunderstandings, mischaracterizations, or outright fabrications concerning complex voter data. According to a February 2026 report by the Center for Election Integrity and Research (CEIR), when claims of large numbers of non-citizens on voting rolls are scrutinized, the number of alleged instances drastically decreases.

CEIR’s research, which began in July 2025 and was updated through December 31, 2025, examined government publications, news media, and other public sources across all fifty states. The organization found that in the rare instances where improper registration or voting is discovered, officials take swift action to maintain election security.

Persistent Misconceptions and Political Rhetoric

The prevalence of this belief coincides with repeated claims from former President Donald Trump regarding widespread non-citizen voting. As reported by TIME magazine, Trump has consistently alleged that non-citizens voted against him in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, claiming numbers ranging from 3 to 5 million illegal votes in 2016 and tens of thousands in 2020. These claims have been widely disputed by research and state investigations.

It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal U.S. Elections. Investigations have shown that non-citizen registration and voting occur only very rarely, representing a minuscule fraction of registered voters and ballots cast. The Fair Elections Center emphasizes that conspiracy theories, rather than factual evidence, fuel demands for documentary proof of citizenship requirements to register to vote.

State Investigations and Limited Findings

While some states have conducted investigations into potential non-citizen voting, the results have consistently yielded minimal findings. For example, concerns raised about 50,000 federal-only voters in Arizona—those unable to satisfy the state’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement—may simply represent eligible citizens who have difficulty accessing the necessary documentation, according to the Fair Elections Center.

The CEIR report underscores that the focus on unsubstantiated claims diverts attention from the diligent work undertaken by election officials to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. The organization’s ongoing analysis continues to search for and analyze allegations of non-citizen registration and voting, as well as the results of official investigations.

The persistence of the belief that non-citizens are voting in U.S. Elections highlights the challenges in combating misinformation and maintaining public trust in the electoral system. Despite evidence to the contrary, the myth continues to circulate, fueled by political rhetoric and unsubstantiated claims.