While Joe Biden is about to assume the presidency after advancing in Pennsylvania and announcing a vote recount in Georgia, no winner has yet been declared as hundreds of thousands of votes remain to be counted, including in key states in the battlefield. The narrow margin in Georgia has led the state to a recount. The AP has called for Arizona’s 11 electoral votes for Biden, but other news organizations have deemed the race still too close to be called. Joe Biden said, while addressing supporters at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware: “We don’t have a final victory declaration yet, but the numbers tell us a clear and compelling story.” On the other hand, President Donald Trump has continued to undermine the counting process, calling it a “fraud against the American people.”
Why the delay in results?
Counts were delayed due to a record flood of mail-in ballots, as an unprecedented number of people voted early due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since a large number of ballots could not be processed until Election Day, the delay was unavoidable, some experts rightly predicting an Election Week, rather than Election Day. Biden had asked his supporters to vote early, while Trump had urged Americans to come forward on Election Day.
What states have not yet been summoned?
Unlike previous elections, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina have become battle states.
Arizona has an estimated 250,000 to 270,000 uncounted ballots to count, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, told CNN. But the state has been called upon by Biden by most news organizations.
Georgia has opted for a recount and it is crucial as it has long been a Republican stronghold, but recently southern Georgia due to its growing black electorate and Democratic figures like Stacey Abrams has become a battle state. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said: “With such a small margin, there will be a recount.”
Nevada has six electoral votes hanging by a thread. The Nevada Secretary of State said about 190,150 ballots remain to be counted statewide, of which 90% are from Clark County, the state’s most populous county and a Democratic stronghold.
North Carolina has seen a Trump lead by more than 75,000 votes with an estimated 95% reported. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, nine county boards of elections met Friday to consider at least 4,300 additional absentee ballots, which would be added to the unofficial election results.
Pennsylvania, with 20 electoral votes, leads Biden by more than 19,500 votes. It is possible that it would further expand its lead, as there were 102,541 more mail ballots to be counted, including many from Allegheny County, a Democratic area that is home to Pittsburgh and the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia County.
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What’s going on in the Senate and House of Representatives?
Americans are also electing members to both houses of Congress, the main legislative body in the United States, which are the Senate and the House of Representatives. Whoever becomes president will need the support of the Senate and House to enact key policies.
In the Senate, Republicans had a majority of 53 to 47 in the Senate. Democrats needed to get at least three seats to gain control, or four if Donald Trump is re-elected and Mike Pence as vice president can break a tie. 35 seats are being contested in the Senate and, with 31 of the 35 seats called, it is not yet clear who will have the majority in the Senate.
In the House of Representatives, Democrats defended a 435-member House majority. The Republicans had 197 seats in the House and needed 218 to gain control. Democrats are leading the way in the House of Representatives, as of now.
When will we have the final results?
That is a difficult question. It may still be days until we have the final results.
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