One single vote can change the outcome of an election.

(Alexandria, VA) – March 25, 2024: The Public Interest Legal Foundation’s (PILF) Tied Elections Database grew to a total of 602 tied elections and 146 elections decided by one vote. These elections illustrate that one illegal vote can change the winner of an election.

A summary of the ties and close results from 2023 is available here.

Quick Facts from the 2023 Tied and Close Elections

• 26 elections ended in ties in 2023.
• Pennsylvania led the country with seven tied elections.
• Ties in at least five elections were the results of recounts.

Two Elections were tossed by Courts due to voter fraud in 2023

• In a Louisiana Sherriff’s race, the Louisiana Supreme Court found at least 11 “beyond a doubt” illegal votes were cast and counted, but “it is legally impossible to know what the true vote should have been.” The court voided the election result and called for a new contest in March 2024.

• In a Wisconsin Mayor race a court ordered a new election after finding at least two mail ballots were illegal. The court found that one ballot came from a person living in Illinois who was not even registered in Wisconsin. A second ballot came from someone who did not request a mail ballot. The judge also cited three other mail ballot return envelopes accepted for counting without required witness signatures.

“One vote makes a difference,” said PILF President, J. Christian Adams. “Ties happen. Illegal votes, mistakes, and errors shouldn’t determine the winner of an election.”

Read PILF’s full report on tied elections in 2023 here. Access PILF’s Interactive Tied Elections Database here.

Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) is the nation’s only public interest law firm dedicated wholly to election integrity. The Foundation exists to assist states and others to aid the cause of election integrity and fight against lawlessness in American elections. Drawing on numerous experts in the field, PILF seeks to protect the right to vote and preserve the Constitutional framework of American elections. PILF has brought lawsuits and won victories in Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and across the United States.

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