Pennsylvania
If a candidate fails to win in both states, Pennsylvania could still play an important role. Many votes were cast there by post and many of those votes can only be counted since last night, after the polling stations closed.
Trump is ahead in Pennsylvania, so far, according to some analysts, that the post votes that have yet to be counted may no longer make a difference. If so, it could take days. “It’s a very time-consuming and complicated process, because you have to check signatures, check that the envelope is closed properly, etc.”
In Pennsylvania, post votes arriving three days after the election may be included, as long as they are postmarked November 3 or before.
No results today
In advance, the fear was that a definitive result could take days to arrive if the result depends on the votes cast by post. That scenario seems to become reality, but the wait is not too bad in some states. In Michigan, it was previously said that the count could take until Friday, but election officials have now said they hope they can issue a preliminary result within 24 hours.
In any case, there will be a lot to do about the results and counts in the coming days, correspondent Arjen van der Horst expects. “Postal voting is a word that we will be hearing a lot in the coming days.”
The list of states for which the results are already clear is similar to that of four years ago. With one big exception so far: Arizona. It appears to go to Joe Biden, although the governor has said it is too early to award a victory in that state.
The results are also not entirely certain in Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia. In those states, the standings look good for Trump. “But in a state like North Carolina, for example, postal votes arriving until November 12 may still be counted, as long as they are postmarked November 3 or before.” In Georgia, the results can be clear within hours.
Trump: To Supreme Court
In the meantime, Biden and Trump have already responded to the first results. Biden mainly wants to radiate optimism. “He said: we are confident that we will win these elections, but he also said right away that no one can claim victory at the moment. He said he was willing to wait for days,” said Van der Horst.
While a number of states are too close to call, Trump claimed victory in his speech last night. To his supporters, he said that “actually, we won these elections” and that “they can’t catch up with us”.
Biden addressed his supporters in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, Trump responded to the results in the White House:
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