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A team of international observers criticized President Donald Trump on Monday night for his “unfounded allegations of systemic deficiencies” in the US elections, adding that they did not witness serious instances of fraud or other voting irregularities.
The report is a blow to Trump, who has still refused to admit defeat days after the election result was projected in favor of his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Instead, he has repeatedly denounced voting fraud in several states.
In its preliminary report, a 28-member delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) praised state and local authorities for their efforts to facilitate a vote amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted that the vote on election day “proceeded peacefully” and was “well organized.”
The mission’s election observers were present at polling stations and counting centers in the critical states of Georgia and Michigan, as well as Iowa, Maryland, and the District of Columbia from October 23 to November 7.
In the report they stated that “although the OAS Mission has not directly observed any serious irregularity that questions the results so far, it supports the right of all the contending parties in an election, to seek redress from the competent judicial authorities when they believe they have been harmed.
“It is essential, however, that candidates act responsibly by presenting and arguing legitimate claims in court, not unfounded or harmful speculation in the public media.”
While the 20-page OAS report made a number of suggestions to improve the electoral system, it criticized Trump for launching “more slander on the United States electoral process” and said his observers were deployed to the battle states of Michigan and Georgia. He “did not witness” any irregularities related to electoral fraud.
The OAS findings are in line with those of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He also said the elections have been “clouded” by legal uncertainty and “unprecedented attempts by Trump to undermine public confidence.
The report also found that the 2020 elections have been the costliest in US history with total spending of more than $ 6 billion in the presidential, Senate and House elections, almost a 100 percent increase. in the 2016 general elections.
Led by the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, the 28-member team included specialists and observers from 13 countries. The mission periodically sends delegations to report independently on elections in member states, including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname.
“On Election Day, members of the mission were present at polling places in Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and the District of Columbia, observing the process from the opening of the polls to the closing of the polls ballot boxes and the deposit of voting materials with the corresponding local authorities, ” the report says. “Members of the Mission also visited the tabulation centers to observe the tally of results. In the jurisdictions it observed, the Mission found the day was progressing peacefully.”
The mission said it had noted that attempts by the public to “stop the count” after a Trump tweet to that effect, in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona, “were clear examples of intimidation of election officials.”
The OAS Electoral Mission said that “it will continue to observe the electoral process until the certification of the results and the vote count of the Electoral College in January 2021.”
