US to Monitor Elections in States that Reject SAVE

America (unsplash)

JAKARTA - The United States government will pay special attention to the holding of elections in states that refuse to cooperate in securing the voting process.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said the government would prioritize oversight of states that did not participate in the SAVE program for election security.

"States that choose not to participate in the SAVE program and choose not to secure the election will be our priority to review who cast their votes and hold their election organizers accountable," Mullin said, quoting Antara.

He conveyed this when answering questions about ensuring the security of midterm elections in the United States.

Mullin said officials who continue to refuse to cooperate despite having received information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve election security could face legal sanctions.

"The official can be held accountable through fines, sanctions, even prison sentences, depending on the level of violation," he said.

At the same press conference, Mullin also warned undocumented immigrants who try to vote, either on their own behalf or on behalf of others, could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 (around Rp4.08 billion).

The DHS said Mullin had sent letters to officials in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania warning of thousands of non-US citizens allegedly illegally registered as voters in the states.

Previously, President Donald Trump said the government found nearly 280,000 people who were not US citizens had been illegally registered on the voter list so they could take part in the vote.

The United States is scheduled to hold elections on November 3 to elect 33 members of the Senate, all 435 members of the House of Representatives, and members of the legislature in a number of states.