Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky rejected concerns raised by fellow Republicans who argue without evidence that mail-in voting will cause massive election fraud.
“The election is going to be fine,” Mr. McConnell said Wednesday. “Many parts of our country vote by mail. Oregon, Washington and Colorado have voted by mail for years. There is nothing we can do or should do, the federal government, to dictate those states how they vote.”
Mr. McConnell, the most powerful Republican on Capitol Hill, made those comments and more in contrast to remarks made by other members of the GOP recently led by President Trump.
Speaking at the White House a day earlier, Mr. Trump argued letting all registered voters cast ballots by mail in November’s presidential race will result in a “rigged election.”
Mr. McConnell asserted otherwise while speaking to constituents at the Boundary Oak Distillery in Radcliff, Ky., as recorded in video footage recorded and shared by Reuters.
Additionally, Mr. McConnell suggested in the footage that he agrees with Democrats who believe more aid is needed to help states conduct elections safely this fall.
“I think some additional assistance for elections is probably appropriate,” Mr. McConnell said. He noted some states have not spent aid they already received, however.
Proponents of universal mail-in voting reason it is warranted due to the coronavirus pandemic making it comparably dangerous for Americans to cast ballots at polling places.
Democrats have accordingly led efforts to give billions of dollars in additional funding to the U.S. Postal Service in anticipation of it handling more ballots than ever before.
Mr. Trump has pushed back, however, and has said he opposes the funding because he believes it will lead to massive voter fraud and delay learning the results of November’s race.
“It’ll end up being a rigged election or they will never come out with an outcome. They’ll have to do it again, and nobody wants that,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday at the White House.
Election experts have dismissed Mr. Trump’s concerns as unfounded, and Mr. McConnell indicated he agrees mail-in voting will not result in a “rigged” election.
Contrary to the president’s assertions otherwise, Mr. McConnell said “we’re going to have a credible election” even with more people voting by mail than in the past.
“I don’t think the American people need to worry about the election,” Mr. McConnell, said. “It’s going to occur on time, safely and credibly.”
Mr. Trump is set to compete for a second term against presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on Nov. 3.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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