A Growing Number of Election Deniers Hold Key Local Roles in Midterms
NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-08-06 04:56:00 — www.nytimes.com
Donald Trump Amplified Debunked Claims About Antrim County Voting Machines
In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly cited a report produced by a team of lawyers and computer experts working on his behalf that claimed voting machines in Antrim County, Michigan, were riddled with errors. This report, which was quickly debunked by election officials, became a central talking point in speeches by Trump and in legal filings challenging the results of the election.
The controversy began on election night, when a small clerical error led to the incorrect publication of results showing Joseph R. Biden Jr. had won the heavily Republican county. The county clerk, Sheryl Guy, who had just voted for Trump herself, promptly explained and corrected the mistake. Despite the swift correction, Trump’s team seized on the incident to allege widespread problems with voting machines.
Trump’s repeated mentions of the debunked Antrim County report in his speeches and lawsuits helped fuel a broader conspiracy theory about the integrity of voting machines, even as local and state officials confirmed there was no evidence of fraud or systemic error. The false narrative gained traction among Trump’s supporters and was cited as justification for further election-denial activities in the region.
The lingering impact of Trump’s amplification of these false claims was felt in 2024, when the Antrim machine conspiracy theory continued to influence local politics. The county clerk who had corrected the original error lost her re-election bid to a candidate who campaigned on election-denial rhetoric and promises to overhaul local voting procedures.
Trump’s willingness to promote thoroughly debunked allegations about voting machines in Antrim County underscores his ongoing efforts to undermine confidence in the electoral process. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, his statements and legal actions contributed to a wave of misinformation that continues to shape local and national debates about election integrity.