Washington, DC — President Donald Trump is again claiming that American elections are “corrupt,” this time pointing to Brazil’s rapid presidential vote count as supposed evidence that slower U.S. results are suspicious.
Trump praised Brazil for reporting results shortly after polls closed and contrasted that with places such as Detroit, Philadelphia and California, which can take longer to finish counting ballots. He offered no evidence that those delays indicate fraud. He also initially wrote that the election occurred in India before correcting the post to Brazil.
The comparison leaves out a basic difference between the two systems. Brazil uses a centralized national electronic voting system, while U.S. elections are administered separately by states and local jurisdictions with different rules for mail ballots, verification and processing.
Some states legally count properly postmarked ballots that arrive after Election Day, a practice the Supreme Court upheld this year. Longer counting times therefore do not demonstrate corruption; they often reflect state law and the volume of absentee ballots.
Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread election fraud despite failing to produce evidence supporting those claims. Reuters reported this year that investigations promoted by his administration have likewise failed to uncover proof of widespread manipulation.
Brazil’s first round ended with Flávio Bolsonaro at about 47% and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva near 45%, sending them to an Oct. 25 runoff.
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