The growing distrust in the electoral process in the United States could pose a threat to American democracy and its rule of law, experts warned this Monday at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington. Citizens of the United States are called to the polls on November 5 to choose between former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) or the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.
In this regard, the decision of the Washington Post not to endorse a candidate for these elections was criticized, as it had mostly done so in favor of the Democratic candidate, since, in their view, "it undermines credibility and integrity" and is characteristic of the self-censorship of totalitarian regimes. Elaine Kamarch, director and founder of the Center for Effective Public Management and a member of the think tank, assured that there will not be another assault on the Capitol like the one on January 6, 2021, but not because those threats have disappeared, but because they have shifted to a more local level with the aim of disrupting Election Day.
Trump and his supporters have continued to fuel the specter of electoral fraud in order to pave the way for a possible second defeat. According to experts, misinformation campaigns have been largely responsible for the loss of trust in the system. Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin blamed the media for not always separating "reality and fiction" and publishing articles with false claims that will later be used "to contest the results."
Despite attempts to alter the outcome, all experts confidently stated that the electoral process will be "safe, free, and fair" and urged administrations to adopt measures that do not confuse citizens, such as delays in announcing results. "That is a huge long-term problem," indicated one expert. "More than a third, perhaps half of our fellow citizens have no faith in our elections." We do not have two normal candidates.
