Video shows conversation with county official, not 'illegal' voters 'cutting' | Fact check
The claim: Video shows 'illegal' voters cutting in line
An Oct. 29 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a group walking past a long line of people and stopping to speak with someone outside a building. Beside that clip is a video of a man describing the scene and saying the group walking by was made up of "foreigners" who skipped a 2-hour line.
"ILLEGAL 'VOTERS' CUTTING THE LINE (AGAIN0! (sic)," reads part of the caption. "Democrat Fraud Machine Operation in Pennsylvania – swing state – it figures."
The post includes on-screen text that says "Steel News with Ann Vandersteel."
The claim was also shared on X, formerly Twitter, where it was reposted more than 53,000 times.
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Our rating: False
The video does not show "illegal" voters cutting in line, according to election officials. Instead, it shows a conversation between a county official and a group of voters and their translators. After the conversation, able-bodied voters returned to the end of the line, while disabled and elderly voters were allowed to sit and wait their turn.
Video shows legal voters who required translators speaking with a county official
The video was shot at a satellite election office in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, county spokeswoman Abigail Gardner told Paste BN. The county released a statement addressing the video on Oct. 30.
The statement says the video was shot on Oct. 26 and shows people who came to apply for mail-in ballots and required the assistance of translators.
"There was a brief conversation between voters, their translators, and a county employee that was videotaped and is circulating on the internet," reads the statement. "The county employee provided instructions that elderly and disabled people were allowed to sit while they waited for their applications to process − as county employees had allowed for any elderly or disabled voter who was attempting to vote at any of our satellite offices."
However, able-bodied voters returned to the end of the line, according to the statement. Voters were permitted to use a translator throughout the process as necessary.
More: Election misinformation roundup: Fact-checking false and misleading ballot claims
Gardner told Paste BN that disabled and elderly voters were allowed to sit inside the office in front of the line, but still had to wait their turn as though they had been standing in the line.
The deadline to register to vote in the area was Oct. 21, so no one applying for a mail-in ballot on Oct. 26 could get one unless they were already registered, according to the statement.
"Only U.S. citizens may register to vote," reads the statement.
There is no evidence the individuals in the video were voting illegally.
Ann Vandersteel's website identifies her as a "conservative online media" journalist and an "activist."
Paste BN reached out to Vandersteel and the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but they did not immediately respond.
Reuters also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
- Abigail Gardner, Nov. 5, Email exchange with Paste BN
- Allegheny County, Oct. 30, Statement from Allegheny County Elections Regarding Online Video
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