By Maverick
The 2020 U.S. presidential election was one of the most contentious and closely watched elections in recent history. As votes were tabulated and results announced, a slew of conspiracy theories emerged, alleging widespread fraud and manipulation. These claims have sparked intense debate and legal challenges.
One of the most widespread claims is that there was massive voter fraud, particularly involving mail-in ballots. Allegations include dead people voting, ballots being cast by non-citizens, backdating ballots, and the illegal counting of fraudulent ballots.
Another major theory posits that voting machines, particularly those made by Dominion Voting Systems, were manipulated to alter vote counts. Some versions of this theory suggest that the machines were rigged to switch votes from Donald Trump to Joe Biden, often invoking foreign interference or deep-state actors.
Proponents of the election fraud theory allege that there were instances of ballot dumping (introducing illegal ballots into the counting process) and that officials engaged in irregular counting practices, such as counting votes multiple times or excluding votes for Trump. Theorists also argue that the mainstream media and social media platforms, working in collusion with intelligence services like the FBI, were complicit in a broader scheme to suppress information about election fraud or to bias public opinion in favor of Biden.
Despite the volume of claims, extensive investigations, audits, and recounts have concluded that there was no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud or manipulation that would have altered the outcome of the 2020 election. Numerous lawsuits challenging the election results were filed in various states. The vast majority were dismissed due to a so-called lack of evidence. In many cases, judges (including those appointed by Trump) found that the claims were unsupported.
Does that mean fraud didn’t happen? No. There are many witnesses and employees who work for the USPS and swear up and down that there were illegal votes being brought in after Election Day, all for Biden, ironically. Trump was in the lead on election night in several of these swing states, which he won in 2016, then suddenly while everyone was sleeping soundly, Biden took the lead and acquired 81 million votes, a candidate that was never popular to begin with. Multiple audits and recounts, including those conducted in key battleground states, reaffirmed the “accuracy” of the election results, that Biden was the winner. For example, Georgia conducted a hand recount that confirmed the original results. It’s so easy to just take their word for it, as we can’t actually see what they’re doing behind closed doors.
There was also a stigma initiated following the election, that if you dared to say that Biden cheated and Trump won, you’re an election denier and are subverting democracy. However, both Republican and Democratic election officials, as well as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have stated that the 2020 election was secure and that there is no evidence of widespread fraud. That only works if many choose to believe them at their word, and it’s not like we haven’t been lied to in this country by our government, so why should people continue to trust these government bodies that think they run our lives? Did we ever have sovereignty, or is that merely an illusion? Are elections decided by the will of the people or by the corporate donor billionaire class that pulls the strings from a distance?
The persistence of these conspiracy theories has had significant implications for American democracy and public trust. This erosion of trust has led to decreased faith in the election process and increased polarization. The 2020 election conspiracy theories highlight the challenges of navigating information in the digital age, where misinformation can spread rapidly and shape public perceptions, even information spewed by the mainstream conglomerates. As citizens, it is crucial to critically evaluate sources, seek out reliable independent information, and uphold democratic principles, even in the face of controversy and division by other provocateurs, the media, or those in our own government. It’s as though the seemingly arduous efforts to divide the masses are fully intentional, leading us into a modern-day civil war. Please share your thoughts in the comment section. Be well.
