The claim: Soros has financed ballot makers being utilized in the midterms, and they are rigged
For the 2022 midterm elections, billionaire benefactor George Soros has contributed more than $128 million to his political action committee, Democracy PAC, which supports Democratic prospects. But some social media users claim he hasactually taken actions to impact the election in another method.
“They’re attempting to rig the election onceagain!” checksout an Instagram post shared Nov. 7. “Do not trust the Soros moneyed ballot makers!!!”
Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our mostcurrent exposes
But the claim is unwarranted.
Soros has not moneyed ballot makers utilized in the midterms, according to his representative and a representative for Verified Voting, a nonpartisan company that focuses on voting equipment. Multiple business that own ballot devices have likewise stated in past declarations that Soros is not an financier.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for remark.
Experts, ballot maker business state Soros has no ties to devices
Aurora Matthews, a Verified Voting representative, informed USA TODAY in an e-mail there is no proof Soros hasactually moneyed any of the ballot devices utilized in the midterms.
Michael Vachon, a representative for Soros, informed USA TODAY that the claim is incorrect and Soros has no monetary stake in ballot makers.
The Open Society Foundations, which Soros established in 1993 to assistance democracies aroundtheworld, rebuffed comparable allegations in a 2020 tweet, stating that neither the company nor Soros have “anything to do with ballot makers and how they function.” The tweet consistedof a link to an Associated Press shortarticle exposing a claim that Soros owned ballot device business Smartmatics.
Smartmatics likewise says on its site that it is 100% independently owned and that Soros has neverever had any ownership stake.
Fact check roundup: False declares about election scams, prospects swirl ahead of 2022 midterms
Other ballot device business have put forward comparable declarations in the past. For example, Dominion Voting Systems informed the Jefferson County Board of Elections in 2016 the business has no relationship with Soros, his business or his structures.
Most election-related expenses, consistingof voting devices, fall on regions and counties, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. State and federal federalgovernments have broke in from time to time to aid with the expenses.
There’s likewise no proof that ballot devices were rigged in 2020 or are jeopardized now.
Security professionals and election authorities haveactually called the 2020 elections the “most safeandsecure in American history,” and the AP reported in October that throughout this year’s primaries “no significant issues haveactually been reported.” There is likewise no sign cyber vulnerabilities in election innovation “have contributed to any ballot system erasing, losing or altering votes,” according to the CyberSecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
In addition, election authorities state there are lotsof safeguards in location to make sure makers count votes precisely and any scams efforts are determined. Hand counts, states and other audits regularly verified the results and maker counts
USA TODAY hasactually exposed other declares associated to the 2022 midterm elections,