Newsie Events:- #Opinion By Caleb Onyeabor
A study of the US electoral process shows that it is more complex than it appears.
The media declaring a winner are only projections and not official. A lot of processes are involved, further complicated by Trump’s refusal to concede.
Despite the fact that Trump cannot get more votes than Biden in some battle states, counting will be completed, and the margin between the two might determine a recount. Aside that, official results are declared by states. And the states have up to December 8 to declare a winner.
After declaring a winner, the state compiles her list of electors to vote in the electoral college on December 14. Trump’s refusal to concede and the multiple litigation that have followed this election might stall some states from meeting this deadline. It could lead to a situation where we might see a state submitting two separate lists of electors. Especially in states with Democrat governors and Republican legislatures. Though federal laws are in favour of the governor’s list, it could lead to a split.
States that are unable to conclude the process on December 8, might lose the electoral college votes allocated to the states. If this happens, the tendency for either Joe Biden or Donald Trump to get the needed electoral college votes is unsure. When this happens, the power to choose who becomes American President will be left to the House of Representatives, and the Vice President will be chosen by the Senate. If the house of reps fails to conclude before January 20, the VP chosen by the Senate becomes President.
If it gets to the point where Congress decides who will be president, A house state delegation has one vote, and whoever scores 26 delegates votes wins.
This is referred to as contingent election. In all of these, swift judgement from lower courts up to the supreme courts can alter the situation as it is now. Americans may not have to go through all these processes if it happens. But with Trump’s refusal to concede and quest to contest the results declared so far. Interesting things might be happening. The election is far from over. The media announcement is not official but projections. How the cases are handled will determine what we will get on December 8, 14, Jan 6, and finally January 20
Trump is right. The elections are far from over. It could still go either way. The media has just announced projections of who will be President following votes counted as at the time. It could still go either way. The world is watching.
Caleb Onyeabor is a Nigerian intellectual, an avid advocate for political justice, social justice, and economic justice. Author of Diary of a Messed Up country. Follow him on Twitter via twitter.com/caleb_onyeabor
NEWSIE EVENTS MEDIA TEAM Follow Us On Twitter,Instagram & Facebook
@NewsieEvents,I.G newsieevents, Facebook Newsie Events