Conservative commentator Victor Davis Hanson told listeners on his Daily Signal podcast that he believes it is "no way in the world" the 2020 election turnout was legitimate, attributing the surge to pandemic-era changes such as expanded mail-in voting and relaxed ID or registration practices. Multiple official reviews, GOP-led audits in some states, and court cases found no evidence that fraud changed the 2020 result. Pew Research Center records place turnout around 66% in 2020, the highest since 1908. Hanson said he was unsure whether changes were legal but argued they altered voting patterns.
Victor Davis Hanson: 'No Way in the World' 2020 Turnout Was Legitimate — Audits, Data Tell a Different Story
Victor Davis Hanson Wildly Claims There’s ‘No Way in the World’ that 2020 Vote Tally Was Legitimate
Conservative commentator Victor Davis Hanson on his Daily Signal podcast questioned the legitimacy of the unusually high voter turnout in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, saying he believes "there's no way in the world" the turnout could have reached the levels recorded that year.
Context and Official Reviews
Multiple official reviews, independent audits and court challenges found no evidence that fraud altered the outcome of the 2020 presidential race. That includes several GOP-led audits and legal actions in states such as Georgia and Arizona, which failed to identify fraud that would have changed the result. According to the Pew Research Center, turnout in 2020 reached about 66% of eligible voters — the highest rate since 1908.
Hanson's Claims
"And what had traditionally been 30% of absentee ballots was renamed, rebranded mail-in ballots and that was 70% almost nationwide... they brought in under the guise of COVID that you could register to vote without an ID... They would give you an ID... you could vote that same day. That changed radically the entire American electoral system in one direction for the left."
Hanson told listeners he was unsure whether the changes were illegal, but argued they "altered the way we... voted" and described the increase in turnout as a "sudden rise of voters" that he finds implausible given population trends.
Related Claims and Responses
Hanson's remarks followed public remarks by former President Donald Trump alleging foreign interference in the 2020 contest; however, one of Trump's advisers has publicly acknowledged there is "zero evidence" that any votes were changed. Courts, state election officials and independent researchers have consistently concluded that while the pandemic prompted changes to voting procedures (such as expanded mail voting and temporary adjustments to registration processes), those changes did not produce verified, widespread fraud that changed the election outcome.
Why This Matters
Debates about voting procedures, access and security remain politically charged. Clear, evidence-based audits and transparent processes are essential to maintain public confidence in election outcomes. Hanson’s comments reflect broader concerns among some conservatives about pandemic-era voting changes, but they contrast with the conclusions of multiple investigations and independent analyses.
Audio of Hanson’s full remarks aired on his Daily Signal podcast. Jason Cohen contributed to reporting on the original piece.
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