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Confusion Over Election Count

Is America in for weeks of challenges and disagreements?

By:  |  November 5, 2020  |    452 Words
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(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Election Day may have been November 3rd, but a few days later, the winner still hasn’t been announced. This year’s race has been very close and marked by chaos in many areas. The Democrat candidate Joe Biden has taken the lead over Republican Donald Trump – but the result is already being challenged. Several states have come under question from the Trump campaign, so it could be weeks until the results are finally worked out, and the next president is officially announced.

Since U.S. elections are decided by the Electoral College system, each state holds a certain number of electoral votes. Most states have a winner-take-all system where whichever candidate wins the most votes in that state gets all the state’s electoral votes. This system means candidates have to win enough states to gain 270 Electoral College votes. The results in each state are very important in presidential elections, for this reason.

This year, several states are under question. Republicans are accusing some states of holding unfair vote counts – from refusing to let observers look at the votes to make sure they are valid, to giving people the wrong kids of pens which led to ballots being rejected.

The Trump campaign has filed lawsuits challenging the count in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, and Michigan. It has also asked for a recount in Wisconsin. The vote counts have been very narrow in these states.

“All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud. Plenty of proof – just check out the Media. WE WILL WIN! America First!” the president wrote on Twitter.

Democrats and the Joe Biden campaign have accused Trump of simply being a sore loser. “What we’re seeing on these legal suits are that they are meritless and nothing more than an attempt to distract and delay what is now inevitable – Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States,” said Biden campaign manager Jennifer O’Malley Dillon.

Mail-in votes have also confused matters. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats encouraged voters to send in their ballots by mail – something the Republicans said would lead to greater chances of voter fraud. Many challenges are about the validity of mail-in votes for various reasons.

Protesters have come out on both sides. Pro-Trump protesters have claimed the count was unfair and accused the Democrats of cheating. Meanwhile, anti-Trump protesters have been angered, suggesting the president is refusing to obey a democratic vote.

While weeks of confusion and legal arguing are ahead, it seems only half of America will be happy with the final result. How could this election affect not just the White House but the attitudes among Americans?

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