The United States of America elections have passed and the aftermath has seen two main issues take centre stage. The first been the obvious one of who shall be part of president elect Donald Trump’s governance team when he assumes office next year. This was an anticipated after elections activity but the second was not and this is the revelation that computer scientists had reason to believe that the electoral system could have been tempered with. This was probably something not so anticipated given the historical American electoral system’s impeccable record in transparency, integrity and fairness of the elections. It is the latter that I wish to discussed the key issues around, especially that the reported possible tempering of election results, if any, could be mainly on results from electronic voting machines (EVMs). These are part of the new changes we are to see come our national elections in 2018 and any lessons, experiences or revelations that might come out of the USA’s experiences following the current possible recount would be a welcome development.

Firstly, the issue is currently a topical one where the Green Party candidate Jill Stein has undertaken to push for a recount especially in the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where apart from Florida a win for Trump in those three states gave him the required Electoral College votes. On the basis of briefings by computer experts to the Hillary Clinton team, they have taken a position to support or participate in the recount led by Jill Stein, even though they are on record to have said they have not found any tangible evidence to suggest that hacking did take place. The decision seems to be more of clearing the suspicions and more importantly restoring the integrity of the USA’s electoral system that has produced so many other results especially presidential ones in the context of a truly fair and free elections, even in the wake of the controversy that was in Florida when George Bush narrowly and somewhat controversially beat Al Gore.

Secondly, there are about four issues that seem to give credence to a push for a recount, even if to simply confirm the flawlessness of the electoral system. The first issue relates to Donald Trump’s assertions during the campaigns where he kind of pre-emptively declared that he will not accept the results if he loses because the electoral system has been rigged. On hindsight there are those who believe that probably Donald Trump new something that others did not know of about the potential or the realness of hacking the electoral system. Could it be that he had knowledge of pending rigging? If so was he in a way saying this out of knowledge that he himself is part of the rigging exercise to take place? The second issues which is related to the first is that there were reports of the Russian government with full knowledge and support of President Vladimir Putin, plotting to interfere in the presidential elections to tilt it Trump’s way, ostensibly through hacking or manipulating the electoral system machines and processes. In his campaign messages especially on foreign policy matters, Donald Trump was portraying Vladimir Putin and Russia as potential allies. This raises eyebrows as to whether this was just an innocent from the heart policy commitment or could it be because Trump and Putin are more than just what appeared to be potential allies with no other sinister dealings. A recount will hopefully either confirm this conspiracy theory or lay to rest any doubts about foreign induced electoral rigging.

The third issue relates to reports that during the presidential campaigns, at least 20 states did report of attempts from and by outsiders to access their state electoral systems. Although it has been reported that such attempts appear to have failed, it has created interest as to why so many states electoral system were targeted, could it be tied to the intention to influence the results and by whom. This has also strengthened the Jill Stein position of calling for a recount and most liberals see it more as a way of restoring the integrity of the USA electoral system irrespective of the outcome of the recount. Lastly, is the issue of the Federal Investigations Bureau (FBI) Directors actions on the reported emails of Hillary Clinton that seemingly brought her back into the possible criminal offences that she needed to answer for? The sources of the discoveries (emails), also had a foreign connection and therefore pointed to possible conniving and conspiracy to have a certain desired and well planned effect on the outcome of the presidential elections.

A combination of the above issues have led mostly liberals to believe a recount is necessary for two main reasons. The first, reason is that in the unlikely event of the recount proving that anomalies occurred and those are either tantamount or actually rigging exploits, then it could potentially create a leeway of some sort to derail the ascendancy of Donald Trump to the presidency, effectively reversing the presidential elections results. I am saying in the unlikely event because historically in the USA the only reversals of election results were at senate level but only where winning margins were in hundreds. The winning margins in the three states are into thousands where there seem to be consensus that the recount is very unlikely to turn the tables in any significant way. The second reason is a pluralistic argument that all efforts must be taking to restore the integrity of the American electoral system and this is for the good of not necessarily any of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton but more importantly for the country’s democratic credentials. A confirmation of the integrity of the election system is of outmost importance for America’s democracy. It is for these reasons that Jill Stein and the Green Party had found allies in the Liberals, democrats and even amongst certain quarters of republicans although seemingly only in murmurs. The Clinton team may be direct beneficiaries if the recount unearths some serious rigging/hacking that could have substantially affected the results by giving Trump the electoral college votes, especially in the three states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. It remains to be seen as to what will be the outcome of the recount and the effect that outcome will have on the results of the presidential elections.   Given the focus on results mainly from EVMs, are there any lessons for us before 2018?

*Molaodi teaches Public Administration at the University of Botswana