NORTH CAROLINA (REUTERS) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Sunday (Oct 23) called her Republican rival "a direct threat to our democracy" for refusing to say that he would accept the results of the Nov 8 election.

Mrs Clinton told a crowd of supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, that she was surprised to hear Mr Trump say that at the third debate between the two major party nominees, but she added that "some people are sore losers. We just gotta keep going".

Since the debate, Mr Trump has said he would accept a "clear" election result but reserved the right to file a legal challenge, and he continues to tell supporters at his campaign rallies that the elections are "rigged" in favour of Clinton.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation project poll shows Mrs Clinton maintains a commanding lead in the race to win the Electoral College. According to the poll, she had a better than 95 per cent chance of winning, if the election were held this week.

The mostly likely outcome would be 326 votes for Mrs Clinton to 212 for Mr Trump, with little more than two weeks to go until the Nov 8 election.