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To evaluate a political claim, identify exactly what is being asserted, trace it to its original source, inspect the evidence, and check independent sources. For voting dates, eligibility, polling places, procedures, and official results, use the election authority responsible for the specific jurisdiction. Those are separate checks: an election office is the primary source for its own procedures and results, but it may not assess a candidate’s policy claims.
How to check a political claim
Start by separating a verifiable statement from opinion, prediction, rhetoric, or a value judgment. “The bill passed on Tuesday” can be checked against a legislative record. “The bill is unfair” is an argument about values. Campaign material can contain both kinds of statements, so assess each factual assertion on its own rather than treating an entire speech or advertisement as either true or false.
- State the claim precisely. Note who is said to have done what, where, and when. This makes it easier to find the relevant record and spot changes in wording.
- Find the original source. Look for the full speech, interview, campaign document, law, official notice, dataset, or study. A screenshot, clip, or secondhand paraphrase can leave out context or qualifications. Elections Canada likewise recommends finding the original source and comparing information and visuals with other sources (Digital literacy).
- Ask who produced it and what evidence supports it. Identify the author or organization, publication date, relevant expertise, and interests. Check whether the cited document or data actually supports the claim, whether the time period and comparison are appropriate, and whether context is missing. Stanford’s Civic Online Reasoning frames this as “Who’s behind the information?” and “What’s the evidence?” (Civic Online Reasoning lessons).
- Look for independent corroboration. Seek credible sources that checked the underlying record rather than merely repeating the original claim. Transparent fact-checks should explain their evidence and methods. Stanford’s third question is “What do other sources say?” The UK Electoral Commission also directs people to fact-checkers for campaign-claim accuracy and content authenticity (Engaging with campaign material at elections).
- Describe the result carefully. “Verified,” “unsupported,” “misleading,” and “not yet established” mean different things. Explain what the evidence does and does not show. A missing record or incomplete count is not, by itself, proof of wrongdoing.
- Preserve context if you share it. Include the original source, date, and relevant qualification. When correcting a claim, link to primary evidence where possible rather than repeating an unsupported allegation without context.
Check images, video, and numbers instead of trusting their appearance
A compelling image, emotional presentation, or precise-looking number is not proof. Trace a photo or video to its original publication and check whether it depicts the event, location, and date claimed. Reverse-image search can help find earlier appearances and context. For charts and statistics, look for the original dataset or report and verify the scale, time period, definitions, and comparison. Elections Canada advises checking both information and visuals against other sources; Civic Online Reasoning emphasizes examining evidence and corroboration (Elections Canada; Digital Inquiry Group).
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For a question about when, where, or how to vote, or who is eligible, go to the election office responsible for that jurisdiction. Confirm that the page applies to the correct place and election, and check its date. Rules differ by jurisdiction; do not assume a deadline or voting method used elsewhere applies to you.
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- United States: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) directs voters to state and territory election websites for local information (EAC voter information). The FBI advises checking official election-office notices and considering who produced voting information and why (FBI Election Crimes and Security).
- Canada: Use Elections Canada for federal election information. Provincial, territorial, and local elections have their own responsible authorities. Canadian guidance is not a substitute for U.S. election rules (Elections Canada, Digital literacy).
- United Kingdom: The Electoral Commission provides UK election-process information. Its guidance distinguishes voting-process information from the truth or authenticity of campaign content (Electoral Commission guidance).
In the United States, the FBI says misleading voting information may concern the time, manner, or place of voting and recommends checking official election-office notices. It also advises reporting suspected voter suppression (FBI guidance). For a specific procedure, the responsible state, territorial, or local election office is the authority to consult.
How to interpret election results before they are certified
In the United States, election-night totals are preliminary, not final certified results. The EAC explains that results can change while officials count eligible provisional, absentee, mail, military, and overseas ballots. Officials then reconcile ballots and totals through the canvass; certification is the officials’ attestation that results accurately account for votes cast. The sequence and deadlines vary by jurisdiction, and state and local officials determine certification dates (EAC results, canvass, and certification; EAC voter FAQ: Can I trust the outcome of the election?).
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To find results, use the relevant election authority’s website and check whether it labels figures as unofficial, preliminary, or certified. The EAC says final results may take several days or sometimes weeks to post after ballots are counted, reconciled, and certified (EAC Voter FAQs). Most states require post-election audits, but their timing and methods differ; do not assume every jurisdiction follows the same process or that one safeguard guarantees perfection (EAC results, canvass, and certification).
How to assess claims that an election was hacked
Ask what exact system was affected, where and when it happened, and what primary forensic or official evidence is available. Exposure of public records, unauthorized access, alteration, disruption, and an effect on votes are distinct claims; evidence for one does not automatically establish another.
In a September 12, 2024 advisory, the FBI and CISA said voter-registration information is often publicly available and that access to such information alone does not indicate a database compromise. The agencies also stated that, as of that advisory’s publication, they had no information that a cyberattack had prevented a U.S. election, changed voter registration, prevented an eligible voter from voting, compromised ballots, or disrupted timely vote counting or transmission of unofficial results. That is a time-bounded statement, not a claim about every later event. For local election-security questions, the advisory directs people to state and local election officials (FBI/CISA advisory).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What makes a source useful for checking a claim?
Use the source closest to the fact for the question at hand, then corroborate where needed. An official election authority is the first stop for its own voting logistics, procedures, and official results. A primary record, such as a law, transcript, or dataset, can establish what it contains, while independent reporting and transparent fact-checks can help assess context and interpretation. No single source type answers every political question.
- Proximity: Is it the original record, responsible authority, direct transcript, or data publisher—or a retelling?
- Jurisdiction and date: Does it apply to the relevant place, election, and time?
- Evidence: Can you inspect the documents, data, images, methods, or full context behind the statement?
- Independence: Do separate credible sources confirm the claim, or are they all repeating one origin?
- Scope and uncertainty: Does the source distinguish established facts from inference, prediction, allegation, and opinion?
- Accountability: Does the publisher identify itself, explain its methods, and disclose corrections?
Institutions also have defined roles. The UK Electoral Commission says it does not regulate campaign-material content or verify campaign claims, though it responds to false information about voting and electoral processes. That guidance concerns the UK; the broader lesson is to check what an authority is responsible for before treating it as a verdict on a different kind of claim (Electoral Commission guidance).
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- Small convenient pocketbook size aids in emergency preparedness, planning, and training with ERGs numerically indexed and color-coded to help emergency responders find vital information fast.
- 2024 Updates: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) released a comprehensive summary of updates. Most significantly a QR code on the back cover that provides access to critical incident reporting information.
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- Specifications: 4" x 5 1/2" Pocketbook Size, English, Softbound. Copyright 2024.
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