US midterms: Amid misinformation and conspiracy theories, how to verify information on Election Day

Washington: Premature declarations of victory and claims of fraud could inundate Americans' social media feeds as they head to the polls on Tuesday, potentially casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results.A tsunami of misinformation has already circulated in the lead-up to the US midterms, in which Republicans hope to win back control of Congress and block President Joe Biden's agenda.People should expect to see more misleading claims as results pour in: on the integrity of voting machines, counting of absentee ballots and potential misconduct by poll workers, experts say.On his social media platform Truth Social, former president Donald Trump on 1 November questioned the validity of absentee ballots in Pennsylvania, a state that could determine which political party wins the most seats in the Senate. Rumours on Facebook and other websites have spread confusion about voting in other states, including Connecticut and Colorado.

Such falsehoods — adapted from baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential contest — may accelerate on and after Election Day.

"We are most likely to see election misinformation and conspiracy theories that take advantage of the general lack of understanding about the voting and vote counting process to promote the idea of election fraud," said Cindy Otis, a disinformation expert and author.To avoid falling for spin, here are some tips for verifying online election information.Consult local officialsMisinformation that dissuades people from voting, including claims that absentee ballots are not counted, could emerge on 8 November, according to the nonpartisan Election Integrity Partnership. The best way to receive factual information is to follow local authorities online, experts say."Make sure you are getting information about polling stations or voting hours from verified election accounts, such as your county or state governments," Otis said.[caption id="attachment_11591991" align="alignnone" width="640"] With one day to go until election day, early voting continues and mail in ballots are being tabulated as Arizona voters are preparing for close midterm election races. AFP[/caption]The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), as well as many state and county election departments, have web pages for refuting rumours. When in doubt, do not share information that cannot be verified with a Google search."Take your time in sharing personal claims from social media accounts you do not know that have not been verified by more authoritative sources of information," Otis said.Beware of visualsFootage of election workers supposedly committing fraud reached massive audiences following the 2020 presidential election. With heightened scrutiny at polls in states such as Arizona, misleading visuals may circulate again."We'll likely see lots of photos and videos of poll workers performing ordinary aspects of their jobs presented as suspicious or, worse, 'proof' of fraud," said Peter Adams, senior vice president of research and design at the News Literacy Project. "Remember: Election workers are often required to move, write on, transcribe and discard ballots as part of their jobs."

Studies indicate voter fraud is rare.

Of the more than 65 million absentee ballots cast in 2020, there have been only a handful of criminal fraud convictions. Courts rejected dozens of claims from Trump and his allies that the presidential election was rigged."Every state has a system of checks and balances in place to ensure their voter rolls are up to date and that only qualified, registered voters can actually cast a (single) ballot," Adams said.Be patientIn 2020, an unprecedented number of ballots cast by mail due to the pandemic contributed to delays in counting, opening the door for Trump to prematurely declare victory. Surveys indicate fewer Americans plan to vote by mail this year, but it still may take days to get results."Regardless of the form of ballot, no results are official on election night," Rick Hasen, a professor and election law expert at the University of California-Los Angeles, told AFP. "It is often weeks after Election Day before results are official."[caption id="attachment_11592021" align="alignnone" width="640"] Top US election security officials say protecting the nation’s voting systems has become increasingly more challenging due to the conspiracy theories and false claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential race. AP[/caption]Such delays are not evidence of malfeasance. In fact, experts say they indicate the system is working properly, as some close races could result in recounts."Just as it would be imprudent to declare a winner of a match at half-time, it's inaccurate to have expectations that we would know the final results of a narrow race before all the ballots are counted," said David J Becker, founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research.Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.