President Donald Trump's announcement of his victory over his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden today morning, even before the final results of the elections were announced, confirmed fears Democrats have been expressing for weeks as they say that Trump may seek to challenge the election results.
This can lead to legal and political drama in which the presidency can be determined by a mixture of courts, state politicians, and Congress. Reuters listed some messy scenarios that could occur:
* Lawsuits
Early voting data shows that Democrats are voting by mail in much greater numbers than Republicans. And in states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that do not start counting mail ballots until Election Day; experts say the initial results may favor Trump, while the slower postcards that are counted are expected to favor Biden.
Close results could lead to filling suits over voting and vote counting procedures in crucial states. Cases filed in inpidual states could eventually reach the Supreme Court, as happened in the Florida election in 2000, when Republican George W. Bush beat Democrat Al Gore by just 537 votes in Florida after the Supreme Court halted the recount.
Earlier, Trump appointed Judge Amy Connie Barrett to the Supreme Court days before the election, which would achieve a conservative majority of six to three that could be in the president's favor if the courts hear election disputes.
'Emergency elections'
If it is decided that none of the candidates will receive the majority of votes in the Electoral College, this would lead to "emergency elections" under the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution.
This means that the House of Representatives will choose the next president, while the Senate will choose the vice president.
Emergency elections are also held in the event of a tie, with each candidate obtaining 269 votes after the elections. There are several possible paths that could lead to a dead end in elections in 2020.
Any electoral dispute in Congress will end before the deadline of January 20, the date on which the constitution stipulates the end of the term of the current president.
Under the Presidential Succession Act, if Congress does not announce the winner of the office of president or vice president by that time, the speaker of the House of Representatives will be the acting president. This position is currently held by Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
The counting of the ballot papers in the American elections shows a fierce competition ... all surprises are in place
A general relief as voting day passed quietly ... and Biden supporters were waiting on the street to celebrate
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