Washington, Nov 4: The US will on Tuesday vote to elect its 47th President in a fierce race between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic leader Kamala Harris that is set to go down in history as one of the tightest fights for the White House in decades.
As the countdown for election day began, Former President Trump raked up the bitter memories of the 2020 election as said he “shouldn’t have left” the White House, triggering apprehensions that he was preparing the ground to not accept the outcome of the November 5 voting if he loses the contest.
“I shouldn’t have left. I mean, honestly, because…we did so well,” the former President said at a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Following the election that brought Joe Biden to power, Trump alleged fraud in the voting process and challenged the outcome in courts which rejected his claims. In her closing remarks in the key battleground state of Michigan, Harris said she would be a president for all Americans and spoke about the need to turn the page on “hate and division” while Trump continued his tirade against his Democratic rival.
Trump calls for mandatory voter ID
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump on Sunday expressed frustration over the current voting pattern as he urged his fellow countrymen to vote for him in this final battle and called for a mandatory voter ID.
The Democrats are opposing voter ID so that they can cheat, he alleged.
“I don’t know why the hell we can’t have a voter ID. The real Democrats want to have things like voter ID. They know it’s crooked. There’s only one reason you don’t want a voter ID. There’s only one reason, and that’s to cheat. There is no other reason. There’s no other reason. And they do cheat,” Trump told his supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania, a battle ground state. He said it’s “damn shame” that nobody seems to talk about it. “I’m the only one that talks about it because everyone’s afraid to damn talk about it. Then they accuse you of being a conspiracy-theorist… and they want to lock you up”. “They want to put you in jail. The ones that should be locked up are the ones that cheat on these horrible elections that we go through in our country,” Trump said. He also called for returning to the ballot paper system.
Arson attacks on ballot boxes spark security concerns
Last week, two ballot drop boxes in the Pacific Northwest were damaged in a suspected arson attack destroying hundreds of ballots at one location. In neighbouring Portland, Oregon a fire suppression system contained a similar blaze, limiting damage. These attacks involving ballot collection boxes have raised concerns about the security of the US presidential polls ahead of the main Election Day.
In New York, the officials of the Board of Elections say a “stolen election” isn’t possible and elaborate measures have been put in place to counter any subversive attempts.
“A multi-jurisdictional national, state and city wide security plan is in place for NYC. Some of these you see, some you don’t. All the ballots are secured by the NYPD and we work closely with them. A stolen election in NYC is not possible. We are always trying to stay ahead of the bad guys for sure,” says Deputy Executive Director Board of Elections in New York. Ballot drop boxes have become an increasingly important part of the voting process in many states. As many as 27 states and the District of Columbia allow the use of ballot drop boxes. They are particularly crucial in states like Oregon and Washington, where voting predominantly occurs via mail or ballot drop-off.
In Clark County, Washington, about 60% of ballots are submitted through drop boxes. The security of ballot drop boxes has become a significant focus in US presidential elections, with various measures implemented to ensure their integrity and protect against potential threats. (AP)
