United States President Donald Trump on Thursday raised for the first time the possibility of delaying the US November presidential election.
Trump raised the question of a delay on Twitter and without evidence claimed risks of mail-in voter fraud.
Trump tweeted on Thursday: “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Trump has made repeated allegations that increased mail-in voting will result in fraud. Many US states and localities are moving to use mail ballots to prevent risks of coronavirus infection.
The dates of federal elections are set by Congress which is unlikely to act, and the US Constitution makes no provisions for a delay of the January 20, 2021 inauguration of the next president.
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud through mail-in voting, even in states with all-mail votes.
Trump trails his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in US public opinion polls.
