POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Did 163 Democrats Use Same Oklahoma Address to Vote for Biden in 2020? There’s No Proof
The Claim A viral meme circulating across social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Threads, and X has claimed that 163 Democratic voters used the same Oklahoma address to cast their...
The Claim
A viral meme circulating across social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Threads, and X has claimed that 163 Democratic voters used the same Oklahoma address to cast their ballots for President Joe Biden in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The image features a modest single-level home in a rural setting, with what appears to be a twin-size mattress leaning against the wall on the front porch. The text of the meme reads, "Why do we need voter ID? Because in the 2020 election, 163 Democrats used this one address to cast a vote for Joe Biden."
The claim was first brought to light by a Snopes reader who asked whether there was any truth to the allegation. The meme gained traction after being shared across multiple platforms, often in the context of broader discussions about voter fraud and the need for stricter voter identification laws. Despite its widespread circulation, the origin of the meme remains unclear, and no credible evidence has been found to substantiate the claim.
The Details & Investigation
Snopes conducted an extensive investigation into the claim, including reverse-image searches, fact-checking efforts, and outreach to local and state election officials. The house depicted in the meme is located at 401 N. Sycamore Ave. in Stratford, Oklahoma, a small town in Garvin County. Real estate listings on Realtor.com show that the property has been listed for sale, and Google Maps Street View confirms its location on the east side of Sycamore Avenue.
Despite the claim’s popularity, no news outlets or political blogs have reported on the alleged 163 votes from the same address. This lack of coverage is particularly notable given that conservative media outlets would likely have highlighted such a story if it were true. Additionally, searches of major search engines—including Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google, and Yahoo—did not yield any credible sources confirming the existence of such a pattern of voting behavior.
Snopes also contacted the Oklahoma State Election Board, a Garvin County elections official, and the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office, asking whether they were aware of any election-related crimes tied to the address in question. None of these entities provided any information suggesting that 163 voters had used the same address to cast ballots for Biden. In fact, historical voting data from the 2020 election shows that former President Donald Trump won Oklahoma by a significant margin, securing more than 81% of the vote in Garvin County. These results contradict the claim that a large number of Democratic voters from a single address contributed to Biden’s victory in the state.
Furthermore, the claim aligns with broader patterns of disinformation surrounding the 2020 election. Former President Trump repeatedly asserted that the election was fraudulent, but subsequent investigations, including a comprehensive report by The Associated Press, found no evidence of widespread voter fraud sufficient to alter the outcome. The meme in question appears to be a fabricated or misleading narrative designed to fuel distrust in the electoral process, rather than an honest error or misinterpretation of data.
The Verdict
The claim that 163 Democratic voters used the same Oklahoma address to vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 election is FALSE. There is no credible evidence to support the assertion that such a large number of votes came from a single residence. The meme lacks verifiable sources, and no official records, news reports, or election data corroborate the claim. Furthermore, the historical voting results in Oklahoma, particularly in Garvin County, demonstrate that Biden did not receive a majority of votes in the state, let alone from a single address.
While the claim may have originated as a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of real estate data, the repeated sharing of the meme across multiple platforms, especially in the context of broader disinformation campaigns, suggests a deliberate effort to spread falsehoods about the integrity of the 2020 election. As such, the claim should be classified as DISINFORMATION—intentionally deceptive content aimed at undermining public trust in democratic processes.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
