Concerns rise as Trump raises claims of election fraud

As the US presidential election approaches, former President Donald Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud in Pennsylvania are reigniting fears of another contested election.

Polls show a tight race between former Republican Trump and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, with both candidates concentrating their campaigns in battleground states.

Trump continues to promote the narrative that his loss in the 2020 election for President Joe Biden was due to widespread fraud and is now extending this claim to the current election.

On Thursday, he intensified his accusations, claiming that investigations into voter registration irregularities in Pennsylvania were evidence of fraud.

Some of his supporters also pointed to long lines at polling stations as a sign of voter suppression.

In response, Harris and the Democratic Party are preparing for Trump’s potential early claims of victory, similar to those made in 2020.

They are preparing a solid media strategy that will advocate for patience and calm during the vote counting process.

Harris emphasized that they are ready to counter any attempt to manipulate public perception if Trump tries to influence the narrative.

“This is sowing the seeds for attempts to overturn an election,” said Kyle Miller, a strategist with the advocacy group Protect Democracy. He underlined the need to be careful against misinformation that could undermine public confidence in the election process.

Recent intelligence reports have also revealed that Russia distributed fake videos online that purported to show widespread voter fraud involving non-citizens, further complicating the election environment.

Georgia’s election officials confirmed that one such video likely came from a Russian troll farm.

Despite the turmoil, Pennsylvania election officials maintain that the state’s voting system is operating as intended.

A judge recently extended the deadline for voting by mail after the Trump campaign filed a lawsuit alleging voter suppression and local investigations into voter registration have yet to turn up evidence of illegal voting.

Given that more than 70 million Americans have already voted, both candidates are focusing on critical states like Pennsylvania, which has 19 Electoral College votes.

Trump continues to express confidence in victory, stating that he could only foresee losing in a “corrupt election.”

As the election approaches, with more than 1.6 million voters casting ballots in Pennsylvania, Harris and the Democratic Party are preparing for every possibility, including Trump prematurely declaring victory.

They plan to fill social media and news channels with calls for patience during the vote counting process.

“This is sowing the seeds for attempts to overturn an election,” said Kyle Miller, a strategist with the advocacy group Protect Democracy.

He underlined the need to be careful against misinformation that could undermine public confidence in the election process.

Earlier, a Pennsylvania judge on Friday ordered the Erie County Board of Elections to provide ballots to nearly 17,000 voters who did not receive requested mail-in ballots ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Earlier in the week, the state’s Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against the county board, objecting to its failure to distribute between 10,000 and 20,000 requested mail-in ballots.

This failure led to “significant delays and difficulties in voting” and may have violated the right of many voters to vote, the lawsuit alleged.

Both campaigns are acutely aware of the risks, as Pennsylvania is seen as crucial in determining the election outcome.

As Election Day approaches, the potential for disagreement over the results looms large, prompting Democrats to prepare for a swift backlash if Trump declares victory before all the votes are counted.