U.S. vote counts in key swing states delayed by unsealed doors, hoax bomb threats

Human error and hoax bomb threats have held up vote counts at some U.S. polling stations, but the presidential election remained largely on track Tuesday evening despite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump making accusations of cheating.

In Milwaukee, election officials are recounting more than 30,000 absentee ballots because doors on the ballot tabulators were not properly sealed.

The recount could delay results inWisconsin, considered one of seven critical swing states.

Melissa Howard, spokesperson for the Milwaukee Election Commission, said the recounting was being done "out of an abundance of caution" and there was no reason to believe any ballots already counted had been tampered with.

Howard said the problem was due to human error, and they were taking the step of recounting all of the ballots in an effort to be "completely, fully transparent," according to The Associated Press.

District attorney says Trump claims are unfounded

In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, Philadelphia's district attorney said Trump's early accusations of cheating in Tuesday's U.S. election have "no factual basis whatsoever."

"A lot of talk about massive CHEATING in Philadelphia. Law enforcement coming!!!"Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon, without providing context or evidence.

A Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson told CBC News in an email thatpolice "are not aware of anything" related to Trump's claim.

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, another crucial swing state in the presidential election.

District Attorney Larry Krasnerresponded in a post on social media platform X that the only talk about massive cheating has come from Trump himself.

WATCH | No basis for voter fraud claims, says Philadelphia district attorney:

'F around and find out,' Philadelphia district attorney warns amid voter fraud claims

2 days ago

Duration 0:59

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said there is no evidence to substantiate any allegations of voter fraud in Pennsylvania, but cautioned that if there are credible claims the time to bring them forward is before polls close. And, he had a stern warning for anyone attempting to interfere with the electoral process.

"There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation," Krasner wrote. "We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day. If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath," he wrote.

Krasner has been talking tough about election interference, saying anyone who tries to interfere with the election in Philadelphia can "F around and find out."

"There are handcuffs, there are cells, there are courtroomsand there are Philadelphia jurors who are definitely going to want to know why it is a person tried to erase their votes, block their votes, bully their votes or take away their votes," he said at a press conference earlier Tuesday.

Bomb threats in four states not credible: FBI

Georgia faced delays after at least two polling sites targeted by hoax bomb threats in the state were briefly evacuated earlier Tuesday.

The FBI said hoax bomb threats, many of which appeared to originate from Russian email domains, were directed at polling locations in four battleground states Georgia, Michigan, Arizonaand Wisconsin.

"None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far," the FBIsaid in a statement.

Georgia's Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, blamed Russian interference for the threats, according to Reuters a claimthe Russian embassy in Washington denied and called "malicious slander."

Bomb threats later in the day also forced an extension of voting hours in at least two Pennsylvania counties Clearfield, in central Pennsylvania, and Chester, near Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told reporters that state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the FBI, were investigating multiple bomb threats across the state.

"Thus far, there is no credible threat to the public," Shapiro said.