Fact check: Were there any legal challenges to the 2024 election results?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, there have been legal challenges to the 2024 election results, though they appear to be limited in scope. The most significant confirmed legal challenge is a lawsuit filed by SMART Legislation in Rockland County, New York, which has been deemed serious enough by Judge Rachel Tanguay to proceed to discovery ^[1]. The lawsuit focuses on voting machine discrepancies and statistical anomalies, though it's important to note that this challenge will not affect the certified election outcome declaring Donald Trump as president ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• There were systematic preparations for legal challenges before the election results were even announced, particularly focusing on claims about noncitizen voting ^[2]
• Election experts have observed that disinformation about election fraud is potentially more severe in this election cycle compared to previous years ^[3]
• Social media users have been actively gathering unverified claims of voter fraud that could be converted into legal challenges ^[2]
• The media coverage of the election has faced its own challenges, including issues with polling and reporting ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple yes/no question about legal challenges fails to capture the complexity of the situation:

• Various groups have different stakes in promoting election challenges:
• Republican operatives appear to have been preparing groundwork to contest the election outcome specifically in case of a Trump loss ^[2]
• Social media platforms and users benefit from engagement generated by election controversy ^[2]
• The focus on legal challenges might overshadow other important aspects of the election, such as:
• The role of disinformation in shaping voter perceptions ^[5]
• The impact of campaign narratives on the election outcome ^[5]
• The challenges faced by media in providing accurate election coverage ^[4]