This presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump and other Republicans have been repeating the false narrative that Democrats are purposefully letting migrants into the country so they will vote.

There’s no evidence for the claim, which echoes a racist conspiracy theory known as the “great replacement.”

In fact, allegations about voter fraud and noncitizens have been floating around American politics for more than a century.

The GOP has made it a legislative priority to update federal law to require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal races. Opponents point out that millions of eligible voters — about 1 in 10 adult U.S. citizens, according to one recent survey — don’t have ready access to documents that prove their citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, and would face hurdles to vote.

Here are 6 things to know about the false narratives circulating.

There are severe penalties for noncitizens who illegally try to vote

It’s illegal for people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in federal or state elections. And the federal voter registration form asks registrants to affirm, under penalty of perjury, that they are eligible citizens. The form warns those who make false statements could be fined, imprisoned or deported. Noncitizens who register to vote can also lose the ability to ever become U.S. citizens.

Voting rights advocates say these penalties have worked as effective deterrents. “Anybody who is on a green card or attempting to get citizenship in America, they are not trying to be arrested or to be tossed out of the country,” said Sylvia Albert, the director of voting and elections for Common Cause.

Election officials regularly verify voter registration information and remove ineligible voters from voter rolls. Some states verify citizenship by cross-checking voter information with other databases, such as state motor vehicle data or the federal SAVE database. Election officials must be careful not to mistakenly remove eligible voters from voter rolls, since some databases may be outdated and may not show if an immigrant has become a naturalized citizen. Such errors resulted in large numbers of eligible citizens wrongly flagged for removal in Texas in 2019.

Available data shows noncitizen voting is incredibly rare

After the 2016 election, the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for voting rights, surveyed local election officials in 42 jurisdictions with high immigrant populations and found just 30 cases of suspected noncitizens voting out of 23.5 million votes cast, or 0.0001%.

The Brennan Center survey did not include North Carolina, where a state audit after the 2016 election found 41 cases of green card holders who voted out of nearly 4.8 million votes in the state. The same report said many of the noncitizen voters had been misinformed that they could vote.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger launched an audit in 2022 that found over the previous 25 years, fewer than 1,700 people believed to be noncitizens had attempted to register to vote. None were able to cast ballots.

After a federal trial last year over Arizona’s documentary proof of citizenship laws, the federal judge concluded, “though it may occur, non-citizens voting in Arizona is quite rare, and non-citizen voter fraud in Arizona is rarer still.”

While the conservative Heritage Foundation has actively promoted claims about the risk of noncitizens voting this campaign season, its own data suggests how rare these cases are. The Washington Post reviewed a Heritage database of voter fraud cases and found 85 cases relating to allegations of noncitizens voting between 2002 and 2023.

The American Immigration Council, which advocates for immigrant rights, also analyzed the Heritage data and found most noncitizen voting cases involve legal immigrants and many had been incorrectly told they could vote. That analysis found only 10 cases involving undocumented immigrants since the 1980s. Heritage has said the database is just a sampling of fraud cases and is not comprehensive.

Flawed studies have fueled false claims

A widely contested 2014 paper by researchers at Old Dominion University has fueled exaggerated claims about noncitizen voting rates. The study, which was led by political scientist Jesse Richman, drew its conclusions from an online survey known as the Cooperative Election Survey. A small number of respondents had indicated they were noncitizens and that they had voted. Richman’s paper used that data to estimate that 6.4% of noncitizens voted in 2008.

But that estimate immediately came under fire. The developers of the CES survey wrote a rebuttal, detailing how Richman’s research was methodologically unsound because the small subset of people who reported being noncitizen voters could easily have been citizens who had simply selected the wrong box.

Nevertheless, Trump seized on and distorted Richman’s estimates to fuel false claims in 2016 that millions of noncitizens had illegally voted. In the aftermath, some 200 fellow political scientists wrote an open letter rejecting the 2014 paper. That didn’t stop the website Just Facts from publishing a report in May based on the paper’s discredited estimates. That report made the disputed claim that 10% to 27% of noncitizens are illegally registered to vote, which went viral on X and was cited in congressional testimony.

Richman has since revised down his estimate for national noncitizen voter registration rates to just under 1%, and participation to half a percent.

A small number of localities allow noncitizens to vote in municipal races only

Washington, D.C., and a small number of municipalities in California, Maryland and Vermont do allow noncitizens to vote in some local elections, such as city council or school board races. But so far, turnout has been low from this population. Noncitizens are still barred from voting in federal and state elections in all of these places, and there are systems in place to ensure they do not receive ballots for those other races.

Most people who arrived at the border in recent years have no path to citizenship

One false narrative this campaign season suggests that the people who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration can quickly become citizens and vote legally. But the vast majority of migrants have no path to citizenship. For the minority who will ultimately be granted asylum, it often takes more than a decade from the time they enter the country to go through all the steps to win their cases and ultimately naturalize. Furthermore, changes to asylum protocols during the Biden administration have made it harder to pursue asylum in this country and eventually become a citizen.

Misleading claims about noncitizens voting can undermine confidence in the 2024 election

By focusing on baseless allegations about noncitizens voting in the upcoming election, Trump and his allies appear to be laying the groundwork for potentially contesting the election.

“You can absolutely bet if Trump loses, he will claim there was widespread noncitizen voting without any evidence whatsoever,” David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research told NPR last month. “And that is going to incite anger and potentially violence.”

Copyright 2024 NPR

Governor Janet Mills and a delegation of State of Maine officials completed the second and final leg of a mission to Norway and Denmark focused on positioning Maine as a leader in the responsible development and deployment of floating offshore wind. The Maine delegation included Maine International Trade Center President Wade Merritt, Director of the Governor’s Energy Office Dan Burgess, and Director of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future Hannah Pingree. (Photo courtesy Gov. Mills Office)

PenBayPilot.com has circulated questions to candidates seeking office in Midcoast Senate and House District. As candidates return their responses, we are posting them on the Pilot’s front page, and then they will reside on the Elections 2024 Voter Resource Page, which also includes letters, opinions, stories about state and local referendum questions, and more.

Joseph M. McLaughlin, R-Lincolnville, is seeking the House District 40 seat. The district comprises Morrill,  Montville,  Liberty, Lincolnville,  Searsmont,  Islesboro and  Appleton.

He is running against Michael Ray, D-Lincolnville.

Please provide a short biography of yourself, and explain why you are running for office.

My family has deep roots in Lincolnville having resided here for generations.  I grew up in this community, graduated from Camden Hills Regional High School in 2006 and gained experience working in various family owned businesses.  Additionally I manage a few rentals on the side, both long term and and short.  Currently I own a home in Lincolnville where my fiancé and I are raising a family.    We also have three cats, whom I can’t leave out. 

What are the most pressing issues facing the state and how would you like to see them resolved?      

Across the state, I identify the primary challenges as the cost of living, limited access to housing, and unsustainable expenditure levels.  At present, we are confronted with an impending shortfall of nearly $949,000,000.00 as we approach the next legislative session. Our representatives have been advancing legislation without considering how it will be funded, which is both reckless and irresponsible.

I am committed to taking the necessary steps to rein in spending, even if it requires making difficult choices.  

Are there any specific issues affecting your particular district that you want to address in the Legislature?  

In my district, we are witnessing unprecedented levels of drug overdoses coupled with a significant lack of access to treatment options. I am determined to tackle this pressing issue.  

4) Given the cost of health care, how would you address increasing access to affordable and high-quality health care for all?   

Health care access is a problem. I’ve struggled with this issue myself as health care is prohibitively expensive for plans that offer any meaningful coverage.  We could start by easing regulations on Telehealth services.  Implementation of mandatory price transparency would promote lower costs, as well. By disclosing cash prices for services it empowers consumers to make informed decisions on wether it makes more sense to pay cash or utilize their insurance.  It would also allow us to shop around for the best prices.  

Property owners throughout most of Maine are watching their property tax bills increase on an annual basis, some dramatically. What would you do, as a legislator, to help relieve the financial load on property-owning taxpayers?

We need reasonable limits on property tax increases. Throughout the year, I’ve been visiting homes across District 40, and in my thousands of conversations with residents, property taxes have been a recurring concern. 

No one is against paying for services, but for many of us, we don’t have any more money to give.     

Recent reevaluations in the area reveal that towns are basing home values on sales data during the pandemic, during which modest single family homes were being bought sight unseen in bidding wars.  We’re told the mil rates will go down, but when its all said and done its the homes of working people and seniors on fixed incomes who saw the largest increases in value (even though for most us, our homes are not for sale), this shifts the tax burden to those who are already struggling to make ends meet.   

I’ve heard enough rhetoric from politicians and special interest groups like the Maine Municipal Association (they lobby against any kind of property tax relief) for too long. It’s always promises about moving money around. The state is facing a $949,000,000.00 shortfall. There is no money to move.   

Last year the Legislature passed LD2102 “An Act to Support Municipalities by Repealing the Law Limiting the Municipal Property Tax Levy.”   This shows they’re not concerned with representing their constituents.   

If I’m elected, my primary goal will be to take action on this issue and address everything from unfair assessments to unrealistically high tax bills.  It is crucial to advocate for a fair property tax system that protects working families and seniors (who’ve paid into their community for decades) from excessive financial burdens.

Do you endorse net energy billing (solar power subsidies) that are designed to help Maine move further toward renewable energy, despite the increase in power bills for Maine power customers?

Net energy billing essentially dictates that CMP buy power generated by solar panels for market rate and only allows them to sell it at wholesale. This is one of the reasons we’re seeing our power bills increase. I don’t support it and will work towards getting it repealed.  

Solar is great, I fully support anyone wanting to install panels on their home. But its not fair to make your neighbor down the street on a fixed budget pay for it.

Are you in favor of developing an offshore wind port in Searsport? If so, do you want it sited on Sears Island or Mack Point, and why?

I’m opposed to it.  It is wrong to bulldoze 100 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat for this port to be built.   The offshore wind is a federal project and will proceed wether the port is built here or not. It should go somewhere thats already in a highly developed area of our coastline.  I would not be opposed to the project using the alternative location at Mack Point.  

Should abortion be a constitutional right in Maine?

I’m committed to personal liberty.   I don’t believe its the governments job to grant or take away the rights of individuals to make their own medical decisions.  These things can be a slippery slope.

Are Maine’s gun laws strict enough? If not, what do you propose? 

I believe they are. I was opposed to the three-day waiting period being enacted as it places unfair restrictions on hundreds of thousands of Mainers who own guns for hunting and self defense and have never committed a crime with them.

What legislative committees would you like to serve on and why?

Labor and housing and Taxation. 

I believe these would be most in line with my goals and life experience.

What is your opinion on each of the Nov. 5 statewide referendums?

I do support question 1, limiting PAC contributions to $5,000 dollars.   

For the rest, these are really up to the people as a whole to decide.  When I do go in the voting booth, personally, I’m going to be cautious about spending more money. 

Is Maine doing enough to prepare and protect infrastructure for rising ocean levels and increased precipitation?

I live near the beach in Lincolnville. Last year, it went underwater twice in major storms.  While I don’t think we’ll be under 50 feet of water in 10 years, its clear that the winters are getting warmer and the weather is getting more extreme.  A huge percentage of our economy is on the coastline and protecting it is going to be essential in the coming years.   

What issues are emerging from your conversations with the public as you go about your campaign, and what solutions do you envision?

It is property taxes consistently.  It is time for sensible limits on them.  

How would you define “good state government?”

I’m seeing a trend where our legislators seem to be more focused on helping special interest groups rather than the people. This, again, can be evidenced by their actions, refusing to repeal policy like net zero billing that causes power bills to rise, repealing property tax relief, refusing to raise the homestead exemption… these actions are not for the people.   

Good government means representing the best interests of the people who elect you.  

What are the qualities and attributes of Maine that you want to enhance and cultivate?

In Maine, we used to have conservatives and liberals, all coexisting without all of the negativity we see today.  We could have differing opinions but still be friends. Extremes on both sides seem to be pulling us all apart and creating terrible division. I want to end this. Let’s bring back the kindness, empathy and respect for our neighbors that we used to have.    

 Is there any other topic or issue you’d like to talk about here? Have at it!

In regards to short term rentals, I’m seeing many towns move to restrict them based on the notion that they’re taking up housing. I disagree with this for a couple reasons.

One, most of these short term rentals in question are either unsuited to long term living, or they’re a home that the owner intends to use for part of the year. Making these available for short term rent brings revenue to local businesses and it creates well paying jobs. Both of which we need. 

Two, do we own our homes or not?  For many, the ability to Airbnb their home or part of it allows them to pay their property taxes.