Sturgeon: Count all votes to protect integrity of US democracy

Scotland’s First Minister has said all votes should be counted in the US election to protect the “integrity of American democracy”.

Nicola Sturgeon said she watched Donald Trump’s speech earlier on Wednesday with a “sense of discomfort and foreboding”.

The Republican candidate made premature claims of victories in several key states and claimed he would go to the US Supreme Court over the election.

Several American states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after election day as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday.

Some were prevented from counting postal votes before election day, meaning results could take several days to be announced.

Sturgeon – who has occasionally criticised comments made by Trump, including his suggestion bleach could be used to treat Covid-19 – said people could probably guess “what my preferred outcome of the election would be” but it is a matter for the American people to decide.

Referencing Trump’s claim to have won the election against Joe Biden with millions of outstanding ballots still to be counted, she said: “I think what is most important right now is the integrity of American democracy.

“All votes should be counted and I think that is an important principle and the outcome of the election should be respected.

“I won’t be the only one who listened to the president’s speech earlier this morning with a sense of discomfort and foreboding.

“I hope sensible voices in America come to the fore in terms of the protection of the integrity of democracy – whatever the direction the final few state tallies take us in.”