Suspicious Texts

Text messages are the breakout technology of the 2018 campaign, and many campaigns have been using peer-to-peer texting apps to encourage voters to turn out on Tuesday.

If you are on a campaign or party committee’s voter list, you may receive legitimate text messages on Tuesday encouraging you to vote, offering you a ride to the polls, or telling you where your polling place is.

But beware any text messages that tell you that voting hours or locations have changed, that new forms of voter ID are required, or that your voter registration is not valid.

Voters across Indiana who filed absentee ballots last month have been receiving text messages purporting to be from President Trump — and claiming their votes have not been registered. The texts included a link to a Republican National Committee website that asks users to enter their names, addresses and phone numbers and then provides information about their polling locations.

“This is President Trump,” read one message received by a voter in Elkhart County, Ind., who had voted by absentee ballot. “Your early vote has NOT been RECORDED on Indiana’s roster.”

Voters in Georgia, Kansas and Michigan have reported receiving similar messages from “President Trump.” Voters have also reported receiving texts from Democratic organizations, telling them that their absentee ballots have not been returned.

Voting Machine Malfunction Rumors

Reports of broken, rigged or technically compromised voting machines are common on Election Day. You may even see videos of malfunctioning voting machines going viral on social media. Unless you have rock-solid evidence that the claims are true, it’s usually best to be skeptical.