The FBI is urging voters to report suspected election crimes ahead of the November 2026 midterm election, saying ballot fraud, intimidation and illegal campaign contributions threaten election integrity.
In a public service advisory, released Thursday, the bureau outlined potential federal election offenses and steps voters can take to protect themselves from interference.
Election crimes threaten the integrity of elections and undermine public confidence in our democracy. Election crimes fall into broad categories:
- Ballot or voter fraud
- Campaign finance violations
- Threats to election workers
- Civil rights violations, such as voter suppression or voter intimidation
Federal Election Crime Examples
- Giving false information when registering to vote
- Voting more than once
- Changing ballot markings or otherwise tampering with ballots
- Vote buying
- Threatening voters with physical or financial harm
- Intentionally lying about the time, place, or manner of an election to prevent qualified voters from voting
- Political fundraising by federal employees
- Campaign contributions above legal limits
- Conduit contributions or straw donor schemes
- Contributions from foreign or other prohibited sources
- Use of campaign funds for personal or unauthorized purposes
- Voting by non-citizens
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Voters should evaluate the source and intent of election-related content, the advisory said. Social media users can also use platform reporting tools to flag suspicious posts containing false or inconsistent voting information.
People making political donations should check the registration status of political committees through the Federal Election Commission, according to the advisory. The bureau also warned against accepting money or anything of value in exchange for voting for a particular candidate.
Suspected federal election crimes can be reported to a local FBI field office or through the bureau’s electronic tip system.
If you or someone you know is aware of a federal election crime, report it to your local FBI field office or submit an electronic tip. Please include any available information, such as:
- The names of the individuals, election workers, or candidates involved.
- A screenshot of any threatening information concerning an election worker or polling location.
- A screenshot of the social media post if it appears to be spreading false or inconsistent information about voting and elections.
- The name, company, or website address of the individuals who contacted you to solicit illegal campaign contributions.
Credit: Submitted