Commentary: Remain vigilant about misinformation as Election Day nears

If you live in New York, you might have noticed something different this past weekend: voters began heading to the polls for the 2026 election. This year, the ballot is packed with choices—contests for Congress, statewide offices, the state legislature, and many local positions that often don’t get as much attention. What’s really new is that local races have been moved to even-numbered years, thanks to a state law aimed at boosting voter participation. The thinking is simple: if local elections happen at the same time as federal and state races, more people will actually show up to vote. But there’s another change in the air, and it’s powered by artificial intelligence. AI is expected to have a bigger impact on this election than on any previous one. On the bright side, chatbots can make it easier for people to find information about candidates and issues. You could ask a bot about voting rules or what a particular office does, and it might point you in the right direction. But the same technology can also cause chaos. AI can create fake photos, realistic-sounding audio, and convincing videos that are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing. That means the final stretch before Election Day isn’t just a test of candidates and campaigns—it’s also a test of how carefully voters can sort through the noise.

With about a week to go before the General Election, the battle between Democrats and Republicans is reaching a fever pitch. This is the moment when campaigns get tense, and it’s also the time when some candidates resort to so-called “dirty tricks” to gain an edge. These tricks are designed to suppress turnout among the other side’s supporters while firing up their own base to show up at the polls. In the past, these efforts were often clumsy and easy to spot. But in 2026, AI-powered technologies have gotten so advanced that the public can barely tell the difference between real electioneering and fake content. A video of a candidate saying something outrageous might be completely manufactured. A phone call telling you that your polling place has changed could be a lie created by a bot. New York has a law that requires altered or fake messages to carry a warning letting people know they aren’t what they appear to be. Unfortunately, those warnings are often easy to miss, especially for someone scrolling quickly through social media or listening to a voice message in the car. That’s why the state’s Office of the Attorney General has stepped in with recommendations to help voters protect themselves from being misled in these critical final days.

The Attorney General’s guidance starts with a simple but important reminder: AI is not all-knowing. As advanced as chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot have become, they still make mistakes. Sometimes they sound incredibly confident while giving entirely false information. If you use these tools to research a topic or solve a problem, you probably already know that you need to double-check their answers. The same caution applies when using them for election information. A chatbot might confidently tell you the wrong date for Election Day, or describe a candidate’s record inaccurately, or even invent a polling location that doesn’t exist. That’s dangerous, because people are relying on digital assistants more and more for quick answers. But the problem goes beyond accidental errors. Malicious actors are deliberately using AI to influence elections. They can create viral posts, fake news stories, and deceptive audio clips aimed at confusing voters or making them distrust the entire process. Tech companies say they are working to combat this, but the truth is that there isn’t much evidence to suggest they are doing enough. The bottom line is that voters cannot count on self-regulation by the companies behind these tools. We have to be conscious of the danger and take practical steps to avoid being bamboozled.

So what can you actually do? The advice from the Attorney General’s office is straightforward, and it all comes down to being skeptical and verifying information from trusted sources. First, don’t rely on AI chatbots to answer questions about elections or voting. No matter how helpful they seem, they are not official sources. Second, be suspicious of photos, videos, and audio that claim to show candidates or campaigns doing something shocking. Remember that it might be a fake. AI fakes have evolved to the point where they may not have any obvious flaws, so you can’t assume something is real just because it looks and sounds real. Third, don’t share content that seems suspicious unless you’ve confirmed that it’s genuine and accurate. One of the easiest ways for bad information to spread is through well-meaning people who hit the share button without thinking. Fourth, be careful with phone calls about voting or elections. A voice on the other end might sound official, but it could be a recording generated by AI. If someone calls you with information about voting, take it with a grain of salt and verify with official sources. And fifth, encourage your friends and family to do the same. The more people who are careful, the less power these dirty tricks will have.

If you’re looking for detailed information about where to vote and when you can vote, government websites are your best friend. It might be tempting to ask a chatbot for the nearest polling place, but that’s exactly the kind of thing that can go wrong. Instead, go to the New York State Board of Elections website. There, you can check whether you’re registered to vote, find polling locations, and get up-to-date information about voting hours. Early voting began on October 24 and will continue through November 1. The hours for early voting and the locations where you can cast your ballot are often different from those on the traditional General Election Day, so it’s essential to check with your local county board of elections website for details. This is the kind of information that can’t be left to guesswork. If you show up at the wrong place or on the wrong day, you might miss your chance to vote entirely. And remember, if you see false information about elections or voting—especially anything about when, where, or how to vote—you should report it to the Office of the Attorney General. They are actively monitoring election misinformation and need help from the public to catch it.

Finally, mark your calendar: General Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. If you’ve already voted during the early voting period or by mail, remember that you cannot vote again on Election Day. That’s not just a rule—it’s illegal, and it’s also unnecessary. Your voice has already been counted. For those who haven’t voted yet, don’t let anyone talk you out of going to the polls. There are people out there who would love for you to stay home, or to show up at the wrong location, or to believe that your vote doesn’t matter. Don’t fall for it. Rely on trusted sources, verify what you hear, and turn out to have your say in this election. This year, with AI in the mix, being an informed voter is about more than just knowing the issues. It’s about protecting yourself against manipulation and making sure that the choice you make is truly yours. This article reflects the views of its author, Blair Horner, a senior policy advisor with the New York Public Interest Research Group and a trustee of WAMC. The opinions expressed are solely his and do not necessarily reflect the views of the station or its management.