Are the votes of non-citizens impacting election outcomes?

Studies show hardly any non-citizens successfully vote in state and national elections.

Byron Donalds, a Republican running for Florida governor, said on a Feb. 9 podcast that requiring proof of citizenship for newly-registered voters would cause problems for blue states, suggesting Democrats rely on illegal voting to win elections. However, studies have proven the number of non-citizens who do cast votes doesn’t impact election outcomes –– let alone make a ripple.

A Bipartisan Policy Center analysis of an election fraud database found that of the billions of votes cast between 1999-2023, there were 77 instances of non-citizens voting.

Illegal voting is frequently investigated and prosecuted by authorities. Preventative measures are also in place to identify issues before a non-citizen attempts to vote. States use databases, such as the Social Security Administration and Department of Motor Vehicles, to verify information provided by the voter, therefore ensuring their vote is legal.