WASHINGTON — Disinformation and violent rhetoric could make the weeks following Election Day particularly alarming, leaving the country behind the turmoil that occurred during the last presidential transition four years ago, a pro-democracy organization warned Monday.

The comments from three members of the Defend Democracy Project came just days before voting ends on November 5; But because some races are extremely close, the country may not know who won the presidential contest and control of Congress for days.

That could leave significant room for speculation as state election officials count mail-in votes and potentially conduct a full count as they did four years ago.

“I think the biggest post-election weakness will continue to be misinformation and disinformation,” said Olivia Troye, who previously worked as Vice President Mike Pence’s special adviser on homeland security and counterterrorism.

Troye expressed concerns that if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump loses the Electoral College again, he could make false claims about election fraud and encourage violence similar to what happened on January 6, 2021.

Troye referenced election bulletin He said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security have warned that “candidates, elected officials, election workers, members of the media, judges involved in these cases” could all be targets of post-election violence.

“They are also concerned about visible attacks and violence against polling places or ballot drop boxes,” Troye said, referring to the burning of ballot papers at polling stations. oregon And washington He states early Monday morning.

Michael Podhorzer, president of the Defend Democracy Project, said during a virtual briefing for reporters that President Joe was one of the reasons many state officials did not comply with requests to “find votes” for Trump in the days following the 2020 election. Biden had “two states to break away from.”

“And that created a prisoner’s dilemma for any Republican election official who might have done the wrong thing,” Podhorzer said. “So if you call (Georgia Secretary of State) Brad Raffensperger, he understood that even if Trump got the votes he wanted, Donald Trump would not come back to the White House unless two Democratic secretaries of state overturned the results. House.

“And what that meant was that, like in Florida in 2000, there was no single actor who could actually change the election results.”

He said the situation could be different this time if Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wins by a small margin and potentially only one state’s Electoral College votes.

Accepting the results

Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published a report questionnaire As of Monday, 86 percent of registered voters believe the loser of the presidential election should accept the results, but only 33 percent expect Trump to accept if he doesn’t get the votes needed to win the Electoral College.

About 77 percent of those polled expected Harris to accept the results if she loses the presidential race.

Anxiety post election violence There was a very high rate among registered voters surveyed; 76% said they were extremely or somewhat concerned about violent attempts to overturn the election results.

82 percent said they were at least somewhat concerned about “increased political violence against political figures or election officials.”

Voters are also concerned about foreign interference in elections; 78% of registered voters surveyed say they are extremely or somewhat concerned about this “affecting how Americans think about political candidates.”

Co-chairs of Issue One’s National Council on Election Integrity – former U.S. Reps. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., Donna Edwards, D-Md., Tim Roemer, D-Ind. and Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. – He issued a written statement addressed on Monday A fake video made by Russian actors About the ballots in Pennsylvania. The statement also criticized a Maryland Republican congressman. in question North Carolina should give its Electoral College votes to Trump.

“Foreign adversaries seek to influence U.S. elections by sowing division and spreading misinformation to undermine confidence in our system of self-government,” the co-chairs wrote. “Additionally, people who want to win at all costs continue to spread false claims about the integrity of the election and may create chaos, delay results, and challenge the results of our fair election process.”

The four wrote of suggestions by Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the far-right U.S. House Freedom Caucus, that North Carolina give its 15 Electoral College votes to Trump: “This is dangerous and contrary to the rule of law before the votes are counted.”

“By rejecting the so-called independent state legislature theory in Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court confirmed that state legislatures do not have the power to replace the popular will with a slate of electors,” they wrote.

Issue One describes itself as a “cross-party” organization that works to “unite Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix our broken political system and build an inclusive democracy that works for everyone.”

GOP reacts to Puerto Rican insults at Trump rally

Democrats and Republicans came together on Monday to express their outrage over the issue. A comedian’s comments about Puerto Rico during Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Speaking in the hours before Trump’s comments, Tony Hinchcliffe described Puerto Rico as “an island of garbage floating in the middle of the ocean right now.”

Hinchcliffe then said Latinos “love making babies” and made suggestive comments.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Diaz Barragán, D-Calif., issued a statement Monday calling the comments shameful and dangerous.

“This type of language promotes prejudice, incites violence, and undermines the values ​​of unity and respect on which our country was built,” Barragán wrote. “It is deeply troubling to see Republican leaders celebrating this rhetoric rather than promoting unity and truth.”

Vice President Harris told reporters traveling with her that the comedian’s comments were part of why voters were “tired” and “ready to turn the page” on Trump.

“This is absolutely intentional and fuels the effort to divide our country,” Harris said.

Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott stated on social media that the comedian’s comments about Puerto Rico were “not funny and not true.”

“Puerto Ricans are great people and great Americans! I have been to the island many times. It’s a very beautiful place. Everyone should visit!” Scott wrote. “I will always do whatever I can to help Puerto Ricans in Florida or on the island.”

Florida Republican Rep. Carlos A. Giménez said on social media that the comedian’s comments were “completely classless and in bad taste.”

“Puerto Rico is the jewel of the Caribbean and home to many of the most patriotic Americans I know,” Giménez wrote. “@TonyHinchcliffe is clearly not funny and certainly does not reflect my values ​​or those of the Republican Party.”

Republican Jenniffer González-Colón, Puerto Rico’s representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, called the comedian’s remarks “vile, misguided and disgusting.”

“What they say is not funny; His comments should be rejected by everyone, just as they were rejected by the audience!” González-Colón wrote. “There can be no place for such vile and racist expressions. They do not represent the values ​​of the GOP.

Ariana Figueroa contributed to this report.