The Arizona audit proved the 2020 election was stolen
| The Arizona audit proved the 2020 election was stolen | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The Cyber Ninjas review of Maricopa County ballots showed Trump actually won Arizona." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory Statistical & Evidentiary Distortion |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2021 |
| Origin | The Arizona Senate's 2021 review of Maricopa County ballots, run by the firm Cyber Ninjas |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-03 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
The claim that the Arizona audit proved the 2020 election was stolen persists even though the audit's own report did not say so.
What the evidence shows
- The hand count found Biden gained votes. The Cyber Ninjas report of September 24, 2021 counted 261 fewer votes for Donald Trump and 99 more for Joe Biden than the official canvass, widening Biden's margin by 360 votes.
- Allegations of irregularities were not fraud findings. The report listed concerns about procedures, but did not show that any ballots were fraudulent.
- Political review, not a standard audit. The effort was commissioned by the state Senate and led by a firm with no election-audit experience.
Why it persists
The long, publicized process created an impression that something must have been found.
Lessons for readers
- Read the numbers in the report, not the commentary about it.
See also
Sources
- Cyber Ninjas, report to the Arizona Senate, September 24, 2021.
- Maricopa County Board of Supervisors response, 2021.