It sustained relentless assaults on its integrity up till the second a winner was declared.
In the long run, the U.S. election system handed a crucial check in 2024, after months of widespread public concern in regards to the safety of ballots, accuracy of the depend, and timeliness of outcomes.
“I hope we will lay to relaxation the query in regards to the integrity of the American electoral system,” President Joe Biden mentioned in a nationwide tackle Thursday. “It’s sincere, it’s honest, and it’s clear, and it may be trusted, win or lose. “
To make certain, Biden (and most Democrats, in keeping with polls) by no means doubted the integrity of the system. It was former President Donald Trump and his Republican supporters who for years embraced unsubstantiated conspiracy theories to imagine the system is rigged.
Till polls started to shut on Nov. 5, Trump was nonetheless elevating unfounded claims of fraud. Then, immediately, he dropped the topic when it turned clear he would win.
Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks throughout an election night time occasion in West Palm Seaside, Florida, Nov. 6, 2024.
Jim Watson/AFP through Getty Photos
State election officers nationwide — members of each political events — have since resoundingly reported no systemic disruptions or indicators of widespread fraud rising within the normal election.
“Battle-tested,” declared Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was on the middle of the partisan battle over 2020 election outcomes. “That simply exhibits you the resilience of our system and our individuals.”
The relative seamlessness of the election course of adopted weeks of warnings about threats of interference by international adversaries, potential disruptions from synthetic intelligence, armies of partisan ballot watchers, and unprecedented pre-election litigation.
Election staff assessment ballots on the Denver Elections Division in Denver on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.
Chet Unusual/AP
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA), which is liable for monitoring threats to the vote nationwide, mentioned there was “no proof of malicious exercise impacting the safety or integrity” of the election and solely “minor” disruptions from exterior influences.
Non-credible bomb threats of suspected Russian-origin have been lodged in no less than 4 states, briefly disrupting operations in some locations, however not derailing the vote.
Dustin Ritchie votes along with his daughter within the U.S. presidential election on Election Day on the Douglas County Central Meeting of God polling location in Superior, Wisconsin, Nov. 5, 2024.
Erica Dischino/Reuters
Gear malfunctions and garden-variety human errors induced lengthy traces and processing delays at a smattering of polling locations nationwide; these occur yearly.
Civil rights advocates cited solely remoted situations of alleged voter intimidation or discrimination, regardless of a wave of latest GOP-sponsored laws in dozens of states tightening necessities for mail ballots and voter ID.
To many observers, the pressing efforts of patriotic and nonpartisan native election administrations to modernize voting gear, enhance transparency, and educate the general public on procedures deserve credit score for constructing belief.
A lot of these election staff carried out their responsibility in a extremely aggravating atmosphere, typically with their private security in danger.
They “busted their necks and took dangers,” Biden mentioned in his remarks. “Thank them for staffing voting websites, counting the votes, defending the very integrity of the election. A lot of them are volunteers who do it merely out of affection for his or her nation.”
One measure of their success: the absence of lawsuits contesting vote procedures or election outcomes processing and certification. After probably the most litigated pre-election interval in historical past, neither social gathering has any main pending post-election litigation in state or federal courts.
