Fact Check: Did FBI seize 20,000 fraudulent Democratic ballots in Houston?
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A shocking claim is spreading online that the FBI discovered more than 20,000 fraudulent Democratic ballots during a raid at a storage facility in Houston, Texas.
The allegation has raised questions about election security and sparked debate on social media. But did the FBI really uncover thousands of fake ballots? Let’s fact-check the claim.
Claim: FBI found more than 20K fraudulent Democratic ballots in Houston
As Americans went to vote in the US midterm elections on November 3, a rumor began spreading online. The posts claimed that the FBI found more than 20,000 fake Democratic ballots during a raid at a storage facility in Texas.
On Election Day, a social media user named Jonathan Gregory shared the claim on Facebook, Instagram, and X. The post carried a headline saying that the FBI had discovered over 20,000 fraudulent ballots intended for Democratic candidates at a storage facility in Houston, Texas.
The posts also included three images and claimed that FBI agents had raided a storage warehouse in Houston the previous night. According to the posts, the agents found thousands of ballots, all marked for Democratic candidates. They also claimed that the FBI acted after receiving tips about the alleged ballot storage.
The posts further alleged that the ballots were part of a planned effort to influence election results across Texas.
They said, "Every single one of the fraudulent ballots was filled out for Democratic candidates, which points to a coordinated effort to tip races across the state. Investigators are now examining the origin of the ballots, the people who controlled the storage units, and any connections to political operatives or campaigns". The posts described the incident as evidence of organized election fraud.
Fact Check: False; the claim originated as satire
The claims are false. The rumor about election fraud may have started as a satirical post. Gregory's Facebook profile describes him as a comedian, although his Instagram and X accounts do not carry the same label.
None of his profiles clearly states that his posts are satire. However, he has used the word "satire" at the end of some earlier posts, possibly to show that his content should not be taken seriously.
Rosio Torres-Segura, a spokesperson for the Harris County Clerk's Office in Houston, also confirmed that the claim was false. She told Snopes, "The information circulating on social media is false."
The false story spread after a separate incident involving 20,000 ballots was reported. On Monday, the US Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's request to set aside 20,000 ballots that the FBI alleged may have been issued to noncitizens.
However, this separate case does not prove that the FBI found 20,000 fraudulent Democratic ballots in a Houston storage facility.
