Published1. November 2024, 04:35
US elections under fire: Burning ballot papers and manipulation: Is the US election still clean?
The mood in the USA is more heated than ever – even before a single vote has been counted, some are talking about election manipulation. Recently there were attacks on postal voting boxes.
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In the USA, the mood before the elections is becoming increasingly heated.
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Attempts at manipulation reach a new peak with the burning of several hundred ballot papers.
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Many Americans fear that violence could influence the election outcome.
The elections in the USA are heated: four years ago, hundreds of people stormed the Capitol in Washington because they believed that the election had been “stolen” from Donald Trump. Today, four years later, the US electoral system is even more under attack. Here is a summary of the events:
Several postal voting boxes set on fire
A total of three postal voting boxes, so-called ballot boxes, were set on fire in the states of Oregon and Washington. The police assume that the perpetrator is the same person. The FBI is also investigating. While hardly any ballots were destroyed in Portland, Oregon, the fire in Vancouver, Washington destroyed around 475 ballots, as AP writes. The state’s governor, Jay Islee, announced that the boxes would be guarded for 24 hours in the future. According to CNN, the affected voters were assured that they would be able to cast their vote again.
Three voting boxes were on fire in the USA. In Vancouver, Washington, almost 500 ballot papers were destroyed.
Screenshot CNN
Republicans prepare wave of lawsuits
The Republicans have already prepared for a possible election defeat for Trump: with lawsuits. According to US expert Johannes Timm from the German Science and Politics Foundation, there are over 100 in different states.
In addition, it is to be expected that Trump would spread more lies about election fraud in order to further inflame the mood. Political expert Thomas Jäger also emphasizes that Trump’s clear strategy lies behind the widespread narrative.
Donald Trump speaks of a “little secret”
Recently, at his final rally in Madison Square Garden, Trump once again panicked Democrats because he had a “little secret.” He literally said: “Our little secret has a big impact.”
At one of his last rallies, Trump spoke of a “small” but promising “secret” that he would only reveal after the elections.
20 min/Mikko Stamm
This will only be revealed after the elections. But it is clear that it will benefit the Republicans in the House of Representatives. Such suggestions fuel fears about possible attempts at manipulation.
Fear of violence after the US elections
Many Americans are, according to one AP poll Concerned about the security situation during and especially after the elections: 40 percent of those surveyed were worried that violence would be used to overturn the election results.
One so far conspicuousness: Both attempts at manipulation and accusations come from the Republican camp. Political scientist Jared Sonnicksen sees this as little surprise: “In the last decade, the Republican Party has seen a noticeable increase in extremism.”
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