Election Day Election Fraud Posts Focused on Pennsylvania

All eyes were on Pennsylvania during the 2024 election, as it was widely regarded as a pivotal state that could determine the outcome of the presidential race. On Election Day, 61% of election fraud-related posts on X (formerly Twitter) about battleground states focused specifically on Pennsylvania. Within the state, Philadelphia emerged as a primary focus of online discussions, dominating mentions of election fraud compared to other cities and counties.

Election Fraud Posts: Philly vs. Non-Philly

From the early hours of November 5th through November 6th, PeakMetrics detected a staggering 91% of posts referencing election fraud in Pennsylvania mentioned Philadelphia, compared to only 9% referencing other areas in the state. This equates to 172,945 posts about election fraud in Philadelphia versus 16,251 posts about other Pennsylvania counties and cities.

Timeline of Election Fraud Narratives in Philadelphia

Philadelphia's election fraud narrative began gaining momentum in the early hours of November 5th, with significant activity noted at 1 a.m. ET. This surge followed posts from the evening of November 4th alleging that non-citizens were being allowed to vote in the city. A video shared by James O’Keefe on X, which amassed over 3 million views and 23,000 reposts by 9 a.m. ET on November 6th, served as a key catalyst. The video was further amplified by @LibsofTikTok near midnight on November 4th.

Posts about election fraud in Philadelphia peaked twice on Election Day:

• 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. ET: Fueled by renewed allegations of voter fraud.
• 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. ET: Sparked by posts from former President Trump accusing “massive cheating” in Philadelphia.

Notably, in the two hours following Trump’s post (5 p.m. - 7 p.m.), the volume of election fraud posts about Philadelphia surged by 368% compared to the two hours prior. Notably, his post did not lead to a surge in posts about election fraud in other areas of Pennsylvania outside Philadelphia.

Election Fraud Narratives Outside Philadelphia

Posts referencing election fraud outside Philadelphia focused on different narratives. These posts peaked between:

• 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. ET: Driven by claims of voting machine issues in deep-red counties, particularly Cambria County.
• 1 a.m. - 2 a.m. ET on November 6th: After Pennsylvania and the national election were called for President Trump.

Unlike Philadelphia, these narratives largely tied to real-world voting delays and logistical challenges rather than widespread fraud allegations.

Key Takeaways

The disproportionate focus on Philadelphia in election fraud narratives underscores the power of social media amplification in shaping public discourse. Viral posts from high-profile accounts, including former President Trump, significantly contributed to the surges in online activity, highlighting the role of influential figures in driving these discussions.

While narratives about election fraud outside Philadelphia gained traction, they remained relatively localized and less impactful on the broader conversation. Philadelphia’s prominence in election fraud discussions reflects its status as a focal point in the broader political narrative surrounding Pennsylvania as a critical battleground state.