Trump lays groundwork for calling US elections 'fraud' if he loses; makes 'delay' U-turn

Just days ago, US President Donald Trump sparked a political firestorm as he suggested that upcoming vember presidential elections should be postponed on account of unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. However, he recently took to Twitter to defend his suggestion. Trump clarified that he does t want elections to be delayed, but expressed apprehension that counting of mailed ballots could take weeks and hamper results, leading to a compromised poll. 

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US presidential elections are set to be held on vember 3 and with plunging approval ratings, Trump for first time openly floated idea of postponing it. While citing irregularities in mail-in vote, US President also told reporters at a news conference that he doesn’t want to delay, but also don’t want to have to wait for three months and n find out that ballots are all missing and election doesn’t mean anything. Trump, in ar tweet, also said that mail-in voting is already proving to be ‘catastrophic disaster’. 

He also took a dig at Democrats, who have repeatedly raised concerns over foreign interference in US elections. He said that mail-in voting would make it easier for or nations to interfere in race of White House. Furr, he also added that postal voting does t provide an ‘accurate account’. 

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Six states to hold ‘all-mail’ ballot elections 

Meanwhile, Democrats have been pushing for mail-in votes. At least six US states also revealed plans of holding ‘all-mail’ ballot elections in vember including California, Utah, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. However, Trump expressed fear that this might be rigged and counting of votes itself might take a long time and results would t be declared on night on vember 3, which usually happens. 

mail-in voting involves states to send automated postal ballots to all registered voters which n have to be returned by citizens or dropped off on election day. While re is evidence of any widespread fraud in mail-in votes, critics of this method of conducting ballots have reportedly argued that citizens can vote more than once through absentee ballots and in person. Trump had previously also said that re was a risk of ‘thousands and thousands of people’ who are sitting in ir homes and signing ballots ‘all over place’. 

(Im: AP) 

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