Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Friday accused President Trump of attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election by encouraging voters to mail in their ballots and then to show up in-person at the polls to see if they are stopped from voting a second time.
Speaking at a press conference in Delaware, Biden said voting twice “is a felony.”
“I think it’s all designed to create so much chaos that no matter what the outcome of the election is that it’s thrown up into the air,” Biden said.
“That must be his reason because he says and does things that no other president that I’m aware of in American history has ever done. Well here’s another illegal, inappropriate thing he’s said or done but he’s said so many of them it doesn’t matter, I mean, it just undermines the legitimacy of our Democratic process and it’s dangerous.”
Trump has said multiple times this week that voters should mail in their ballots and attempt to vote in-person under the assumption that their mail ballots will not have been received.
The president has said that if election security is as good as Democrats say it is, the voters will be prohibited from voting twice.
Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated allegations that mail and absentee balloting is rife with fraud.
Democrats and election watchdogs have accused Trump of inciting voters to commit a felony by voting twice.
The White House has said the president is not encouraging illegal behavior, but rather telling voters to “verify” that their mailed ballot has been counted.
“The president is not suggesting anyone do anything unlawful,” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. “What he said very clearly there is make sure your vote is tabulated and if it is not, then vote.”