Republican nominee Donald Trump has added details to his general claim that the November election might be rigged, telling Fox News' Bill O'Reilly the recent court cases nationwide that have struck down restrictive laws mandating voters to show identification will lead to fraud.
"You don't have to have voter ID to now go in and vote, and it's a little bit scary. I've heard a lot of bad things," Trump said. "I mean, people are going to walk in, they are going to vote 10 times maybe."
Trump emphasized that vigilance will be very needed to keep everyone honest. "I hope the Republicans are going to be very watchful, and I hope the authorities are going to be very watchful," he said.
The Washington Post points out that, as in many Trump claims, this one taps into the public's fears that have been around long before his campaign for the presidency started. Polls have shown a sharp decline in the last decade in the trust the American public has in the fairness and transparency of the voting system.
The Post notes that Trump has failed to offer clear evidence of actual fraud and studies show that it is indeed rare, but that has not stopped many of the Republican faithful from treating the allegations as gospel.
According to ABC News, Trump's claims could be setting the groundwork for an explanation if he does lose, but more dangerously could also increase the feeling among the public that the system is indeed fraudulent and lead to a crisis.
Political strategist Roger Stone told ABC that Trump is taking an effective path by talking about the issue now.
"If you raise this question after you've been cheated, everybody will say you're only challenging the election because you lost," he said. "I think you have to get the American people used to the idea that this is a possibility."
While Republicans generally claim that voter ID laws prevent fraud, Democrats say these restrictions are meant to make it more difficult for those who heavily vote Democratic to cast their ballot, such as blacks and Latinos.
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