# Election Day \[Week\]\[Month\[s\]\] \[Year\] 2020 follow-along thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618 "2020-11-03T05:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 278
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5550 "2020-11-12T03:02:03Z")
I thought close enough races could trigger automatic recounts, but if one party insists and it **doesn’t** change the outcome, in the end, then they have to foot the bill for the recount. How can he afford all the recounts he’s demanding? Are his people really donating enough for this? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5551 "2020-11-12T03:03:16Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > How can he afford all the recounts he’s demanding? - SOP. He won’t pay. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5552 "2020-11-12T03:05:21Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I thought close enough races could trigger automatic recounts, but if one party insists and it **doesn’t** change the outcome, in the end, then they have to foot the bill for the recount. Different states, different rules. Also, I imagine the state has to send a bill to the people who requested the recount. Doubtless the Trump campaign will renege on paying but the recount will have been done. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5553 "2020-11-12T03:35:40Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > How can he afford all the recounts he’s demanding? Are his people really donating enough for this? > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Different states, different rules. Aye; that’s key. For instance: [Arizona does not allow requested recounts.](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#Arizona) [Pennsylvania](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#Pennsylvania): > [@](#): > > Three voters of an election district may request a recount in the county of their election district by submitting an affidavit alleging errors in the vote totals. The deadline to request such a recount is no later than five days after the election.[[112]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-returns-112) Three voters of an election district may also request a recount through the court of common pleas.[[114]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-pleas-114) In order to conduct the recount in multiple election districts, requests must be made in each respective district following these guidelines.[[114]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-pleas-114) The deadline to request such a recount is no later than five days after the completion of computational canvassing. If error or fraud is found, an additional five days is provided to make additional requests elsewhere.[[115]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-115)Requesters are responsible for costs associated with the recount unless the recount shows that fraud or substantial error occurred, in which case the costs are refunded.[[114]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-pleas-114) There is no set deadline for the completion of requested recounts. [Georgia](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#Georgia): > [@](#): > > Under Georgia law, recounts may be requested under the following conditions:[[37]](https://ballotpedia.org/Election_recount_laws_and_procedures_in_the_50_states,_2020#cite_note-37) > > - A candidate may request a recount within two business days following the certification of results if the margin between candidates is less than or equal to 0.5%. This threshold was set in 2019 following the passage of [H.B. 319](http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20192020/HB/316). Georgia’s [official website](https://georgia.gov/recounts-ocga-ss-21-2-495) describing its recount rules contains outdated information. > - An election official may order, at his or her discretion, a recount if it appears there is a discrepancy or error in the returns. In precincts using paper or scanned ballots, any candidate or political party may petition the election official to make such an order. In precincts using voting machines, any three electors of the precinct may do the same. > - For constitutional amendments and binding referendum questions, the Constitutional Amendment Publication Board may, at its discretion, request a recount if the margin is less than or equal to 0.5% within two business days following the certification of results. > - The Secretary of State may request a recount at his or her discretion if a candidate for federal or state office petitions the office regarding an apparent discrepancy or error in the returns. > > State law specifies neither deadlines for completion nor who is responsible for requested recount costs. Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota writes, “According to the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State, for recounts authorized under Title 21, the petitioners are not responsible for any of the costs incurred by election officials.” The Pennsylvania bit seems to indicate that fees must be paid up front; that’s been my understanding for requested recounts for years: no work will begin until the person contracting for it pays for it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5554 "2020-11-12T03:44:19Z")
Trump won’t pay for a recount and he (and his minions) will simply work that into the narrative: that he couldn’t even trust the recount! “They were going to make _me_ pay for the recount to fix _their_ fraudulent error! And then they were gonna lie about that too! They were going to take _my_ money and then steal the election from me AGAIN! [hushed voice] What am I stupid? I’m not stupid; I’m a very smart man, very smart. Wharton School of Business, rich, president… I wasn’t gonna fall for that! So I didn’t do the recount; who cares? We all know I won, right?” Who thinks he won’t? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5555 "2020-11-12T04:41:56Z")
I dunno, Trump is happy to spend other peoples’ money. It’s not like he’s paying out of pocket for recount fees. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5556 "2020-11-12T04:49:32Z")
Biden already had plans for a transition without administration cooperation. In my opinion, possibly it will be an even better transition than if there was cooperation. From the Washington Post: > [@](#): > > The Biden team has drawn up lists of recently departed senior officials at key agencies to help transition officials get up to speed on ongoing projects, budgets, trouble spots, technology and personnel, a senior transition official said, describing “a whole plan for this contingency where we don’t have cooperation but have to move forward.” The plan was put in place to anticipate refusals of some agency heads to engage even if the GSA declares Biden the winner, the official said, for example from John Ratcliffe, the Trump-appointed director of national intelligence. > **[How Biden’s transition team will work around Trump’s blockade of the government](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-transition-team-trump/2020/11/11/d32eacfa-2436-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html)** > > The scramble shows how the president’s refusal to accept defeat has become much more than a symbolic stand. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5557 "2020-11-12T04:53:40Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > But I see a real possibility that he will either kill himself, or **go postal** and get taken down. “Go postal” with what? a golf club? in those tiny little hands? C’mon, dude. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5558 "2020-11-12T04:57:38Z")
Non paywall article with similar info (but less detail): > **[Joe Biden's Transition Team Is Already Getting to Work](https://www.marieclaire.com/politics/a34646816/joe-biden-transition-team/)** > > The team is led by Biden and VP-to-be Kamala Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5559 "2020-11-12T05:04:58Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > But can ANYBODY explain why Arizona is taking so long to count the ballots? Seems likes they’re only counting about 10k a day. My guess would be budget. It’s not Arizona which is counting, it’s the counties and municipalities. And, the different counties and municipalities only have so much of a budget to spend on vote counters, set before the election, and they don’t have any authority to hire more even though _bum bum bum_ “The eyes of the nation are on you!” Remember, counting normally takes a long time, up to a week. Van Jones made this point on CNN one night last week - ALL of the states are still counting. It’s just that in those other states, the results were clear enough that the news media were comfortable in calling them, even though the counting isn’t done in those states either. (Hell, CNN called California, Washington and Oregon within minutes of the polls closing, local time.) Usually, the results are clear enough on election night that news agencies feel comfortable calling the election in each state. It’s just that this time, with postal ballots taking such a big part, they’re not comfortable calling close states, and they have to wait until the counting process is finished. If the counties and municipalities don’t have the money to hire more counters, then the vote counting will take a while, but that’s the normal vote-counting schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5560 "2020-11-12T05:15:16Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > The Biden team has drawn up lists of recently departed senior officials at key agencies to help transition officials get up to speed on ongoing projects, budgets, trouble spots, technology and personnel, Well, there’s plenty of those around. I wonder if this would give toddler-in-chief a reason not to fire someone because that would help Biden. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5561 "2020-11-12T05:23:20Z")
I figure they’re more likely to get honest information, and to get the dirt on what’s going on, and what’s going wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5562 "2020-11-12T05:32:01Z")
This worries me. I didn’t see it mentioned here but could have missed it. It’s supposed to be a free article because it’s about the election. > **[Pressure mounts on state Republicans as lawsuits challenging election results...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republican-pressure-states-election/2020/11/11/edd054fe-2441-11eb-952e-0c475972cfc0_story.html)** > > GOP officials in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia are being pressed to take more drastic measures to help President Trump. > Pressure mounted on state and local officials in battleground states to accept claims of ballot-counting irregularities and voter fraud in the election despite a lack of evidence, as Republicans sought new ways to block certification of Joe Biden’s clear victory in the presidential race. The GOP is going to try to pressure election officials to delay certification and sue to delay it if need be. Scaring me! ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5563 "2020-11-12T05:56:09Z")
To what end, though? None of the lawsuits have gone anywhere. Even partisan-leaning judges haven’t let them get anywhere trying to overturn an election without evidence. I’d be very worried if it was a Bush v. Gore scenario, with a very small number of votes in one state, so that, say, getting one county’s provisional ballots thrown out would matter. If there were even a shred of a real legal argument for doing it, I might worry about how that case would go. But they aren’t even challenging meaningful numbers of ballots, and it they’d have to reverse the results in at least 3 states. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5564 "2020-11-12T06:11:29Z")
Trump’s so used to being surrounded by sycophants he doesn’t understand how the real world works. Not very many people are into overturning the results of an election. Judges are not having it. Governors are not having it. Election officials are certainly not having it. You might feel better if you learned how trivial these lawsuits are and how unimpressed the judges are. Even if his dumb lawsuits caused votes to be thrown out, it wouldn’t change the results of the election. We’re talking about a comparative handful of ballots. And even the attorneys filing these lawsuits can barely keep a straight face in court. Everyone who matters knows this is a farce. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5565 "2020-11-12T06:26:39Z")
I think the Dems should file suit on every seat the GOP picked up in congress, and every state legislature. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5566 "2020-11-12T07:07:22Z")
Just saw on the CNN site that not only is the orange man-child preventing Biden from receiving top-level presidential daily briefings as has always been customary for a president-elect, he has also ordered the State Department to block all communications to Biden from foreign leaders. This has now progressed from the level of a tantrum of a five-year-old to the dangerous and traitorous actions of a madman. It’s basically a five-year-old with the power and ruthlessness of a tyrannical dictator. This at a time when COVID infections are higher than ever, and America is being watched by its adversaries for signs of weakness, and ridiculed by friends and enemies alike for the failings of its democratic institutions. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5567 "2020-11-12T07:14:25Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Just saw on the CNN site that not only is the orange man-child preventing Biden from receiving top-level presidential daily briefings as has always been customary for a president-elect, he has also ordered the State Department to **block all communications to Biden from foreign leaders.** Not that I doubt what you saw, but how could they even do that? Telephones are still a thing. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5568 "2020-11-12T07:19:40Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Just saw on the CNN site that not only is the orange man-child preventing Biden from receiving top-level presidential daily briefings as has always been customary for a president-elect, he has also ordered the State Department to **block all communications to Biden from foreign leaders.** > > Not that I doubt what you saw, but how could they even do that? Telephones are still a thing.   Of course they could phone him, email him, etc. But official communications from foreign leaders are conventionally handled through the State Department, and the Orange Fuck has blocked that channel out of the sheer petulance of an angry toddler: [https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/politics/state-department-biden-messages/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/politics/state-department-biden-messages/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5569 "2020-11-12T07:20:26Z")
I am quietly confident that the incoming Dems do know what they’re doing, are listening to some top people who can deal with this kind of obstacle cleverly, and are fully prepared for the madness that’s ensuing. I hope they paid attention to all the people who can point directly to the shortcomings they have had this past four years and can articulate a better way, and that they’re implementing those plans. Basically, Trump can whine and wheedle all he wants, but things are going to happen procedurally anyway, and most likely he’s too stupid to truly anticipate what is really happening behind his back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=277) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=279)