**[US Presidential Election] Allegations of Election Fraud Spread Before Voting Begins… Exit Polls Show 73% Say “Democracy in the US is Threatened”**
On the 5th (local time), election staff managed mail-in ballots for the presidential election at the Chester County office in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Former President Donald Trump claimed major “fraud” in Pennsylvania, a key swing state, before voting started, sparking allegations about election transparency. As polls show an intense competition, with Vice President Kamala Harris nearly tying, there is speculation that Trump’s unfounded claims are part of a refusal scenario if he loses.
**Trump Undermines Election Confidence Before Voting Ends**
Just hours before the polls closed, Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform, again without concrete evidence, “There has been a lot of talk about major fraud in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” echoing false allegations of election fraud in Democratic strongholds from 2020. He also mentioned alleged fraud in Detroit, Michigan. No evidence was provided.
Janice Winfrey, Detroit city clerk, dismissed Trump’s claims as “nonsense,” and Seth Bluestein, a Philadelphia council member, stated on X that “There is absolutely no truth to this claim. It is another example of misinformation. Philadelphia’s voting is safe and secure.” Philadelphia police did not immediately comment on Trump’s claims.
Trump is expected to refuse the election results again if he loses this year, potentially causing significant turmoil in an already highly polarized US. When asked if he would accept the results if he lost this year’s election, Trump gave a conditional and vague response, stating, “If I lose the election, if it’s a fair election, of course, I will accept it. Up to now, I believe it has been fair.”
Trump’s campaign indicated that if the results on the night of the election day are close, he could declare victory, just like four years ago, even though millions of votes remain to be counted. The outcome might not be clear for days if the vote differences in key swing states are tight.
**Exit Polls Show 73% of Voters Believe US Democracy is Threatened**
On election day, some states reported sporadic acts of disruption. According to the FBI, there was a bomb threat originating from a Russian email domain. Although deemed not credible, the threat created significant anxiety and stress among voters.
Edison’s preliminary national exit poll indicated that 73% of voters believe US democracy is under threat, reflecting deep concerns among voters post-election. Only 25% of respondents believed US democracy is safe.
Trump plans to monitor the election results at his Mar-a-Lago club after the polls close, with his supporter Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, expected to join him.
Kamala Harris, who voted early by mail in California, spent election day at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington engaging in phone banking with volunteers to encourage voters to participate. She later spoke to students at Howard University, her alma mater, and planned to monitor the results there.
Regardless of the outcome, history will be made. Harris, at 60, could become the first woman president of the United States, the first Black and South Asian American to hold the position. Trump, at 78, would become the only president impeached twice and the first former president with a criminal conviction to serve a split term in 131 years, surpassing Joe Biden as the oldest president.