Claims made without evidence that the presidential election is marred by fraud were blasted on Thursday by New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden remain neck and neck in a handful of key swing states were a clear winner is yet to emerge. 

Biden has urged patience with the process; Trump has claimed votes, especially in urban areas, have been tainted by fraud, though no evidence of widespread wrongdoing has emerged. 

“Regardless of Trump's inflammatory, misleading, and divisive rhetoric, Americans across the country should be assured that this election was administered fairly and securely by state officials of both major political parties," James said in the statement. "Election workers around the nation are hard at work counting all legal votes, just as they have done in every election before."

Legal challenges to the results are expected by the president's re-election campaign. That is not unusual in close races. 

“In America, the people choose their president; the president doesn't choose his or her voters," James said. "To suggest it be done otherwise is a blatant power grab and an attempt to steal this election. Each state will continue to count all legally cast ballots. The will of the people will be heard.”