iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The White House has responded to requests from Russian officials to observe U.S. polling stations on Election Day.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Friday it was “unclear what their intent [was],” and it was fair to be suspicious of Russia’s intent.

“It’s appropriate that people might be suspicious of their motives, or at least their motives might be different from what they have publically stated, given the nefarious activities they have engaged in in cyber space,” he said Friday.

At least three states– including Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana– have denied requests from the Russian consulate general in Houston to have a Russian officer view a polling station.

In a letter obtained by ABC News, consul general Alexander Zakharov asked Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos if a Russian officer could be “present (for a short period of time, when convenient) at one of the ballot station of Texas with the goal of studying the US experience in organization of voting process during the United States Presidential Elections on November 8th, 2016.”

Cascos said in a response that the state was “unable to accommodate [his] request” and noted that “only persons authorized by law may be inside of a polling location during voting.”

The U.S. has criticized Russia for trying to interfere with the country’s election after Russian hackers were believed to have infiltrated emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta, according to security officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the claims. This week, the White House said President Obama was considering a “proportional” response to Russia for the hacking.

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