What is “voter fraud” and how is it addressed?

Voter fraud is when a person casts a vote illegally, or fraudulently. In Washington, there are several types of voter fraud and each type is addressed differently. One type of voter fraud is called voter impersonation. This is when someone pretends to be another person and casts a vote in that person’s name. In Washington, voter impersonation is a Class C felony and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. Another type of voter fraud is ballot fraud. This is when someone casts additional ballots with false information or alters ballots in order to manipulate the results of an election. This type of fraud is also a Class C felony in Washington and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. The Washington State Attorney General’s office investigates suspected cases of voter fraud and prosecutes offenders. The public can help to prevent voter fraud by reporting any suspicious activity to the Attorney General’s office or to the Secretary of State’s office. Finally, Washington has implemented several measures to protect the integrity of its elections. This includes the use of paper ballots and optical scanning machines, as well as post-election audits. Additionally, citizens are required to provide documentation proving their identity in order to register to vote. Overall, voter fraud is taken very seriously in Washington and is addressed with serious penalties. The state also takes measures to ensure the integrity of its elections, and encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity they may come across.

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