Almost all states have officially approved the election results: what's next

Joe Biden is one step closer to declaring him the winner of the US presidential election. Global News.

Photo: Shutterstock

Tuesday, December 8, was marked in federal law as the deadline that states had to meet in order for Congress to pass their certified election results.

With the exception of Wisconsin, where President Donald Trump and his campaign team are on trial, all states in the country seem to have met the deadline, which comes six days before the Electoral College meets to vote.

These votes will definitively elect Biden as the country's next president, despite Trump's efforts to convince everyone from state legislators to the US Supreme Court to intervene in the process.

Here's what is expected to happen in the next few weeks.

What is Safe Harbor Law?

The safe harbor law is an insurance policy that allows a state to secure its electoral votes by completing certification of the results and any legal proceedings in state court by a congressional deadline this year that expired on Tuesday, Dec. 8.

“Federal law requires that if a state completes its certification of election results by Dec. 8, Congress must accept those results,” says Rebecca Green, an election law professor at William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia.

The attention paid to the usually little-known safe haven clause is a consequence of Trump's tireless efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the election. He refused to concede, made unsubstantiated allegations of fraud, and called on Republican lawmakers to step in, supporting a string of shaky legal arguments.

Most of the lawsuits against Trump's campaign headquarters and his allies have been dismissed in state courts, with the exception of Wisconsin, which is scheduled for a hearing later this week.

Like others, the lawsuit does not appear to have much of a chance of success, but because it was filed under state law procedures to challenge election results, the state will not be able to formally confirm the results until a judge decides on the case. ...

On the subject: Texas Attorney General Challenges Four-State Election Results to Supreme Court

Meeting of the Electoral College

On Monday, December 14, the Electors will gather in state capitals across the country and vote on the Electoral College.

During the certification of the voting results, the states appointed groups of electors who would essentially nominate Biden or Trump for president, depending on who won the popular vote in that state. The size of the group differs depending on how many legislators from each state are in Congress.

These votes are expected to cement the projected election results, in which Biden will receive 306 electoral votes against 232 for Trump.

Whatever happens to the lawsuit in Wisconsin, Biden's electors will still gather in the state capital, Madison, on Monday, December 14, to cast their votes. Either way, Biden would still get the 270+ votes he needs, even without 10 Wisconsin votes.

On the way to Congress

Following the meeting of the Electoral College, the results of the official electoral vote count in each state will be read aloud during the joint meeting of Congress on January 6.

Once it is clear that Biden has received more than the 270 electoral votes needed, the Senate President - Vice President Mike Pence - will announce the results, officially declaring Biden the winner.

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will then take office on January 20, and their four-year term will officially begin at noon that same day.

Members of Congress may attempt to challenge the election results during a joint meeting prior to the completion of the vote count.

One House Republican, Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, said he would contest electoral votes for Biden in that January session. Brooks will need to file an objection in writing and will need at least one Senator to join him. But the House of Representatives, led by Democrats, is unlikely to agree with any objections to Biden's victory.

In 2016, several Democrats tried to challenge Trump's Electoral College victory, pointing to evidence of Russian interference in that election. However, none of those members won the senator's support, and Biden - then the vice president and president of the Senate - sharply rebuffed them, at one point drawing applause and laughter from Republicans.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

Could Trump still reverse the results?

Despite Trump's persistent refusal to acknowledge the election results, his legal team and his allies continue to be defeated in court. Just on Friday, December 4, state judges dismissed lawsuits in nearly every state Biden won, including Georgia, Arizona and Michigan.

Trump's hopes that the US Supreme Court could intervene were also dashed on Tuesday, December 8, when a proposal by Pennsylvania Republicans to revoke Biden's victory certificate was rejected.

Republicans have argued that Pennsylvania's mail-order law is unconstitutional as it requires a constitutional amendment to authorize its provisions, even though the law was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2019.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Trump will not attend Biden's inauguration, breaking a long tradition

US attorney general found no evidence of election fraud: Trump disagrees

Georgia asks Trump to 'stop inspiring violence' over election results

Three ways to determine a person's immigration status in the United States

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.