WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he does not want to wait “weeks, months or even years” for the outcome of the November election due to problems he predicts will occur with mailed-in ballots.

“I don’t want a delay,” Trump said at the White House.

“But I also don’t want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing, and the election doesn’t mean anything. … Smart people know it. Stupid people may not know it.”

Trump earlier suggested delaying this year’s Presidential election, alleging on Twitter, that mailed ballots, which he said will take longer to count, would make the 2020 presidential balloting the “most inaccurate and fraudulent Election in history.”

Trump added, “It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”

The president does not have the power to delay the election. The Congress has the power to choose the timing of the election as per the US Constitution.

(With inputs from VOA)