Erie native, former Pennsylvania governor and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge is sounding off on election security.

Today host Savannah Guthrie sat down with Ridge and three other former homeland security secretaries Thursday morning. 

They shared their thoughts on foreign election influence and dispelled any notions of voter fraud.

Ridge says patience will be needed this year while votes are being counted.

"The delay in the final count is not in any manner, shape or form evidence of widespread fraud," said Ridge. "As a matter of fact, I think all of us could make a very good case that the kind of review that those local officials go through in terms of barcodes, in terms of technology verification and validation of the signatures, frankly, enhances the security around those absentee ballots."

Ridge is part of a bipartisan coalition called "Vote Safe", which aims to encourage voter participation.

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