Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday said he would “totally accept” the results of “this great and historic presidential election” if he won. His comment came hours after he had said he would not commit to accepting the outcome of the November 8 election during his final debate with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump later said he would not contest a “clear” vote, and added that he reserved his right to file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result.

Amid Trump’s claims that the election was being rigged, commissioner of the US Election Assistance Commission Thomas Hicks said that such concerns were unfounded. “There’s never been a more secure election than we have right now,” Hicks told The Indian Express in Delhi. “There’s never been a more open election than we have right now.” He said people with questions about the electoral process should speak to election officials for “open and accurate displays of the way the process runs”.

After the first debate, Trump had claimed that it had been rigged and later said the results of the election could be, as well.

Hillary Clinton trumped her Republican rival across a majority of polls following the final debate in Las Vegas. According to the CNN/ORC poll of those who watched the debate, Clinton won it with 52% of the votes, while 39% thought Trump did better. Fox News also gave the Democrat a lead with 63% over Trump's 36%, as did Vox news, who declared the former US secretary of state the winner of the third debate.

The third heated debate was held while Trump has been mired in allegations of sexual assault and been criticised after a tape of him boasting about groping women was leaked.