Election integrity expert warns about the spread of misinformation

Michael Waldman, president of NYU's Brennan Center for Justice, discusses really elections person become progressively secure.

In a intimately contested election, moreover nan slightest hint of uncertainty astir whether votes are counted accurately could incite unit and exacerbate governmental divisions successful nan U.S.

Voters statement up to formed their ballots astatine a voting location astatine nan Farmersville Elementary School connected Election Day successful Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Nov. 5, 2024.

Samuel Corum/AFP via Getty Images

ABC News' Linsey Davis sat down pinch Waldman to talk astir nan unprecedented information of U.S. elections and nan threat of misinformation.

ABC NEWS: Two 1000 threats against predetermination workers since nan 2020 election. Officials are preparing for a activity of misinformation wrong nan adjacent 24 hours. Joining america now is nan caput of nan Brennan Center for Justice, Michael Waldman.

Michael, convey you truthful overmuch for joining us. First, let's conscionable talk astir nan civic workout of voting. What do you make of nan 80 cardinal Americans who've already voted early?

WALDMAN: Well, group are eager to participate. People are eager to person their voices heard. And group are taking advantage of these caller ways to vote, early voting successful particular. But that still intends a batch of group are going to person that time-honored benignant of civic ritual of showing up connected Election Day.

You know, this compressed run pinch only 3 months wherever Vice President Harris has been nan nominee, really has made it much exciting, much for illustration almost for illustration a European campaign, a threat predetermination than it would person been otherwise. And truthful we expect a very precocious turnout.

And contempt nan aggravated and increasing and acold much organized threats to nan predetermination from nan conspiracy theorists and nan predetermination deniers, nan strategy is overmuch stronger than it was 4 years ago. There are caller laws. Law enforcement is very progressive successful protecting polling places, and Americans should person very small trouble voting tomorrow successful a measurement that is calm, astir apt uneventful and secure.

Voters activity connected their ballots astatine a polling spot astatine nan Ronald Reagan Presidential Library connected Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, successful Simi Valley, Calif.

Chris Pizzello/AP

ABC NEWS: That said, really do you deliberation elections are going truthful far? Because, of course, we started retired this conception pinch you showing nan video of those ballots exploding. So group spot things for illustration that and deliberation that must beryllium happening everywhere. So by and large, do you consciousness for illustration things are going smoothly?

WALDMAN: Overwhelmingly smoothly. Yes. It's important for each of america to not overreact to one, you know, compartment telephone video of a, of a bombing of a driblet container somewhere. That's precisely what nan conspiracy theorists want america to do.

What I'm much worried astir is what comes aft nan election, because, you know, Donald Trump and others person said, well, nan only measurement he tin suffer is if there's monolithic cheating. And already it appears that Russia and others are pumping disinformation into nan system.

And we tin expect a batch of clone videos, heavy fakes, a batch of lies coming not earlier nan voting, but after. It's really important we retrieve it's going to return a fewer days to count nan votes. That doesn't mean it's a problem. It doesn't mean there's fraud. It conscionable intends that nan nationalist servants who tally nan elections are doing their occupation conscientiously.

ABC NEWS: So if you were a betting man, erstwhile do you deliberation that we mightiness beryllium capable to find who has won this election? And I'm asking that based connected erstwhile you deliberation we're going to commencement getting those results in, because a number of nan states, including Pennsylvania, they're saying that they person newer, faster instrumentality and that they could very good person their results by Tuesday nighttime aliases early Wednesday morning.

WALDMAN: So it varies authorities by state. And it really would beryllium amended disconnected if each states were arsenic accelerated arsenic they could be. Michigan and North Carolina, among these plaything states, are apt to travel successful early. Pennsylvania did not alteration its rule to make it truthful they could commencement counting absentee ballots earlier Election Day. They do person caller instrumentality and that should make a difference. Again, we're not going to cognize nan results.

We person heard already that Donald Trump is going to declare triumph tomorrow night, conscionable arsenic he did successful 2020 earlier nan votes are counted. And truthful whenever we perceive him aliases immoderate different campaigner claiming triumph earlier nan votes person been counted, cognize that it's basically, it's not real. It's not connected nan level. And that's portion of nan disinformation we each person to benignant of person our defender against.

ABC NEWS: Brennan Center caput Michael Waldman, we convey you truthful overmuch for your clip tonight. Appreciate it.

WALDMAN: Thank you.