Three States Say They Denied Russia Request To Monitor Polling Sites

FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2008 file photo, a voter walks toward an empty bank of voting stations at a polling place in Seattle on Washington state's 2008 presidential primary day. With the back-to-back news that Ted Cr... FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2008 file photo, a voter walks toward an empty bank of voting stations at a polling place in Seattle on Washington state's 2008 presidential primary day. With the back-to-back news that Ted Cruz and John Kasich were dropping out of the 2016 Republican presidential contest, Washington state's presidential primary scheduled for May 24, 2016, may prove less relevant as Donald Trump is the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, file) MORE LESS

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma and two other states say they have denied a request by Russian officials to be present at polling stations during the Nov. 8 election.

The Oklahoma secretary of state’s office says it received a letter in August from Russia’s consulate general in Houston seeking to have one of its officers present at a voting precinct to study the “US experience in organization of voting process.”

But the office denied the request, noting Oklahoma law prohibits anyone except election officials and voters from being present while voting is taking place.

The Tulsa World newspaper reported Louisiana and Texas denied similar requests from Russian officials.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has faced criticism for suggesting the election might be “rigged” and for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that the letter was received in August, not last month.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Whaaaaa?

  2. Avatar for edhedh edhedh says:

    as obama said: we will retaliate at a time of our choosing.

    russia, please proceed.

  3. You have got to be fucking kidding me? They aren’t even trying to hide it anymore.

  4. If true, probably just an ironic turning the table on the Poll Watchers the Western World send to to third world countries or young democracies (like Ukraine) at elections. “What is good for the goose…”

    No need to get excited

    Edit: If Trump keeps talking the EU may want to send some too !

  5. No blue states like CA, NY. Too unrigged, lousy riggedness; pretty much pitiful riggeditity. Nothing to learn there.

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