United States Attorney-General William Barr has said that mail-in ballots for the Nov 3 election could be vulnerable to fraud, echoing an argument President Donald Trump has made to denounce the use of voting by mail.
"People trying to change the rules to this methodology, which, as a matter of logic, is very open to fraud and coercion. It's reckless and dangerous, and people are playing with fire," Mr Barr said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday.
Voting by mail is not new in the United Statesnearly one in four voters cast presidential ballots in 2016 that way.
Experts say voter fraud of any kind is exceedingly rare in the United States.
Mr Barr cited a 2005 report by the Commission on Federal Election Reform, chaired by previous president Jimmy Carter and previous secretary of state James Baker, which concluded that absentee ballots are the largest source of potential voter fraud.
"Since that time, there have been in the newspapers, in networks, academic studies, saying it's open to fraud and coercion," Mr Barr said.
"The only time the narrative changed is after this administration came in."
A record number of mail-in ballots are expected for the Nov 3 election due to concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
In an interview with WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr Trump suggested that voters should vote twice, once by mail and once in person, to make sure their vote was counted.
"So, let them send it in and let them go vote," he said.
"And if the system is as good as they say it's, then obviously they won't be able to vote" in person.
Voting more than once in an election is illegal.
REUTERS