Washington:
US President Donald Trump warned Friday that the outcomes of the November three presidential election might take weeks or months to find out.
Amid considerations that a wave of mail-in ballots might overwhelm the put up workplace and native election our bodies, Trump recommended the normal election-night verdict could possibly be delayed.
“You will by no means have an election rely on November three,” Trump stated in a speech to the Council of Nationwide Coverage, a conservative activist group.
“You are not going to have the ability to know the tip of this election, for my part, for weeks, months, possibly by no means,” he stated.
The prospect of a gradual rely of an anticipated 50 million votes forged by mail — one consequence of the coronavirus pandemic — has raised considerations of political turmoil and mischief-making, and authorized challenges that might additional delay a consequence, for the presidential in addition to congressional races.
Trump, who polls present is trailing challenger Joe Biden, alleged that Democrats have been selling common mail-in voting to govern the outcomes.
However he recommended a systemic drawback as properly.
“We’re not ready for this, 51 million ballots. It is going to be an incredible embarrassment for the nation,” he stated.
“This can be a very significant issue for a democracy.”
On Wednesday, a high US official for election safety stated his greatest fear is of outdoor interference in a probable rely of the votes the day after the November three election.
Whereas meddling by Russia, China, Iran and others within the run-up to the ballot is a priority, “I am nervous about Election Day on,” stated Invoice Evanina, director of the Nationwide Counterintelligence and Safety Middle.
He stated exterior actors might use hacks like ransomware and different cyberattacks towards the infrastructure for delivering, counting and transmitting the votes.
“We have to put together as a nation that the election is not going to be selected November three,” he stated.
“I am nervous about ransomware assaults. I am nervous about cyberattacks. I am nervous concerning the lack of ability of individuals to vote due to cyber penetrations and ransomware.”
“So for me I fear about less than the election, from the affect perspective, I am nervous concerning the interference perspective come November three, four and all over November,” he stated.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
Source link