The falsehood that votes for President Donald Trump weren’t counted in Arizona because the ballots were filled out with Sharpie pens spread widely on the day after the election. But the county where the claim originated actually recommends that voters use fine tip Sharpies to fill out their ballots.
A story circulating on social media deceptively claims “Bad Things Are Happening in PA.” It overstates the significance of a video that shows a Republican poll watcher being denied access to a Philadelphia polling place on Election Day, and it falsely claims that there was an illegal political sign at another city location.
A video suggesting that there’s been “voter fraud” in Utah has been circulating online, but all it actually shows is a misunderstanding of a poll worker’s mistake on the first day of early, in-person voting. The mistake was corrected and the system worked, as intended.
Q: Can people who cast their ballots in early voting change their vote?
A: In most states, no. By our count, there are eight states that specifically allow for early voters to change their votes.
Eric Trump misleadingly claimed on social media that gasoline was $5 per gallon “under O’Biden,” but “unbelievably good” during his father’s administration. The average retail price of gasoline while Barack Obama was president was $2.97. The average price under President Donald Trump has been $2.49, which includes lower prices due to the pandemic.
The candidates repeated talking points from the stump and added some new twists on the facts.
A tabloid story alleging that Kristen Welker, moderator of the final presidential debate, is politically biased has spawned several falsehoods on social media. Welker hasn’t donated to any federal candidates, and she wasn’t “busted” for revealing a question to the Clinton campaign in 2016.
President Trump has exhibited a yearslong pattern of directly espousing or leaning into conspiracy theories, often those that smear his political opponents or critics.
At a televised town hall in Philadelphia, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made false and misleading claims on COVID-19, health insurance and the 1994 crime bill.
A viral conspiracy theory spread across social media baselessly claims former Vice President Joe Biden “had SEAL Team 6 killed” as part of a cover-up after a purportedly failed assassination of Osama bin Laden. President Donald Trump shared the unfounded theory on Twitter.