If confusion over counting votes is prolonged, creating a political vacuum, the negative impact could affect the entire world. It is hoped that the United States will move forward with legitimate procedures to determine who is the winner as soon as possible.
In the U.S. presidential election, Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden are engaged in a tight race, with the winner still not decided the day after Election Day.
This is partly because the counting of votes is taking time, as the highest-ever number of voters cast their ballots early, through the mail and other methods. This can be described as symbolic of the election, in which ballots were cast amid the unprecedented circumstances of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
While many Democratic supporters tended to vote early by mail, Trump has raised the possibility of fraud in mail voting. The president unilaterally claimed victory over his rival and demanded that the counting of ballots be stopped, even though the results in swing states -- which are a decisive factor in this election -- were still unknown.
Trump did not show concrete evidence of illicit acts, such as the counterfeiting of ballots and fraudulent voting in which a person assumes a different identity to cast a vote. The president himself denying the legitimacy of the election will only damage his country's prestige.
The latest presidential election has been a de facto vote of confidence for Trump.
Over the past four years, Trump has focused on his promotional activities via Twitter, stressing the realization of his signature slogan: "Make America Great Again." He has taken the unusual tactic of fanning hostility toward the Democratic Party and media outlets that are critical of the president, using such feelings to create enthusiastic support for him.
As a result, the divisions between his supporters and opponents have become deeper than ever. Security has been tightened in Washington and many other parts of the country out of fear that violence and turmoil could erupt following the election. It is hard to believe such things are occurring in a democratic superpower.
Biden has called for an end to Trump's presidency because the president has created divisions in U.S. society. Biden has also claimed that Trump's lack of abilities as U.S. president has become apparent through his policy to downplay the pandemic. It will not be easy to repair the divisions, whoever wins this election.
In past U.S. presidential elections, it has been a tradition for unsuccessful candidates to concede the results of ballot counting and call for the public to extend cooperation to the winning side. However, a scenario is becoming a reality in which Trump will not accept the results even if it becomes clear that he has lost the election.
The winner in a U.S. presidential election is determined not by the total votes for each candidate, but by a state-by-state tally of wins and losses. This means the outcome can be reversed depending on the results of swing states. If the outcome of the election depends on decisions by the president and the judiciary, that would become a serious issue that could affect the foundations of the country.
There are a mountain of pressing issues, such as how to respond to the pandemic and revive the economy. There is no time to waste engaging in a futile legal battle. The unsuccessful candidate must accept the results with grace.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Nov. 5, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
