US election: International observers report ‘no serious irregularities’ in blow for Trump fraud claims

A team of international observers criticised President Donald Trump late on Monday for his “baseless allegations of systemic deficiencies” in the US election, adding that they did not witness any serious instances of fraud or other voting irregularities. 

The report comes as a blow to Mr Trump, who has still refused to concede defeat days after the election result was projected in favour of his Democrat rival Joe Biden.  Instead, he has repeatedly claimed fraud in voting across several states.

In its preliminary report, a 28-member delegation from the Organisation of American States (OAS) praised the local and state authorities for their efforts in facilitating a vote in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.  It noted that voting on the election day “progressed in a peaceful manner” and was “well-organised.”  

Election observers from the mission were present at the polling stations and counting centres in the crucial swing states of Georgia and Michigan, as well as Iowa, Maryland, and the District of Columbia from 23 October to 7 November.  

In the report they said that “while the OAS Mission has not directly observed any serious irregularities that call into question the results so far, it supports the right of all contesting parties in an election, to seek redress before the competent legal authorities when they believe they have been wronged.

“It is critical, however, that candidates act responsibly by presenting and arguing legitimate claims before the courts, not unsubstantiated or harmful speculation in the public media.”

While the 20-page OAS report made a number of suggestions for improving the election system, it hit out at Mr Trump for casting “further aspersions on the US electoral process,” and said that its observers deployed in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia “did not witness” any irregularity related to electoral fraud. 

The findings of the OAS are in line with that of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It too has said the election has been “tarnished” by legal uncertainty and Mr Trump’s “unprecedented attempts to undermine public trust.” 

The report also found that the 2020 elections have been the costliest in the history of United States with the total expenditure over $6bn across the presidential, Senate and House races, almost a 100 per cent increase on the 2016 general election.  

Led by OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, the 28-member team included specialists and observers from 13 countries. The mission routinely sends delegations to report independently on elections in member states including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Peru and Suriname.

“On Election Day, the members of the mission were present at polling places in Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and the District of Columbia, and observed the process from the opening of the polling centres through to the close of polls and the deposit of voting materials with the appropriate local authorities,'' the report said. "Members of the Mission also visited tabulation centres to observe the tallying of result. In the jurisdictions that it observed, the Mission found that the day progressed in a peaceful manner.”

The mission said it had noted that attempts by members of the public to “stop the count” after a tweet to that effect by Mr Trump, in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona, "were clear examples of intimidation of electoral officials.”

The OAS Electoral Mission said that “it will continue to observe the electoral process through to the certification of the results and the tally of the Electoral College votes in January 2021.”