Russia offers to monitor U.S. election, but 3 states say ‘nyet’
The Russian government has apparently targeted three states as it sought to send poll monitors to voting precincts in the United States to watch the Nov. 8 presidential election.
But Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, after consulting with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FBI, denied the foreign government’s request.
The Oklahoma secretary of state’s office told the Tulsa World it received a letter in August from Russia’s consulate general in Houston seeking to have one of its officers present at a voting precinct to study the “US experience in organization of voting process.”
The Tulsa World newspaper reported Texas denied similar requests from Russian officials.
The news came to light on Thursday following reports in Russia’s state-run media outlets, Izvestia daily and RT, and at a time when GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump continues to raise questions about the integrity of the U.S. elections system.
In a letter dated Sept. 24, Alexander K. Zakharov, the Russian consul general in Houston, asked for Schedler’s help in allowing a representative “to be present (for a short period of time, when convenient) at one of the ballot station of Louisiana with the goal of studying the US experience in organization of voting process during The United Stated States Presidential Elections [sic].”
After seeking advice from the U.S. feds, Schedler replied that, due to catastrophic flooding that swept across South Louisiana in August, his office would be unable to assist the Russian government.
“Had this flood event not occurred, we certainly would have been open to such a visit, but I cannot meet such a request with the situation I currently have in front of me,” Schedler replied. “I hope you take this in the spirit for which it is intended, but I would ask you please contact me in 2020 if you still are desirous to visit a precinct in a presidential election.”
He added that he wished the Russians luck in securing opportunities in other states.
But Russian leaders, in the reports from state-run media, characterized the rejection from Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma as (translated) “We do not want to see you and goodbye.”
Trump, who has been trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in recent polls, has complained that he believed the election was being “rigged” against him.
During Wednesday night’s presidential debate, he would not say whether he would accept the results on Election Day, saying he would keep the country “in suspense.”
On Thursday, he doubled-down on those remarks during a campaign stop in Ohio, promising to accept the results “if I win.”
Meanwhile, federal officials have accused Russia of attempting to meddle in the U.S. election process and alleged that Russia is behind a series of computer hacks that led to leaked embarrassing emails tied to the Clinton campaign.
The Associated Press contributed.
This story was originally published October 21, 2016 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Russia offers to monitor U.S. election, but 3 states say ‘nyet’."