Election Update: President Trump Declares Victory Early, as Biden Tells His Supporters to Remain Patient
On election night, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, millions of votes-by mail ballots were just beginning to be processed and counted. Even though this development was well anticipated in battleground states overwhelmed by a flux in early voting, President Donald Trump suggested Democrats were trying to “steal” the election.
“This is a major fraud,” the president said in a 2 AM speech. “We were getting ready to win this election, and frankly, we did win this election. We want the law to be used in a proper manner. We will be going to the U.S. Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop. We don’t want anybody to find Biden votes at 4 in the morning.”
It was an unprecedented moment in American History; a sitting US president has suggested that the election process is fraudulent and has suggested he will attempt to disenfranchise large swaths of voters after ballots have already been cast. Despite the historic nature, Trump’s claims of fraud are completely unsubstantiated. There is no evidence that vote counters in any of the rust belt states under scrutiny—Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—have added Biden votes.
The President’s suggestion that this case will be going immediately to the Supreme Court also doesn’t make sense. Trump’s campaign has filed lawsuits across the rust belt—including a complete recount in Wisconsin—but they will, at least initially, be held in state court.
“It’s the right of the states to legislate election laws,” Zach Effman class of 22’ pointed out in an interview. “Trump has no right to invoke the supreme court at this point in time.”
Close elections have not yet been called in Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. Former Vice-President Biden has pulled ahead in Michigan, a crucial state that would likely propel him over the necessary 270 electoral college thresh hold, even if he lost the larger electoral prize of Pennsylvania.
“We feel good about where we are,” Joe Biden told a drive-by rally in Delaware last night, even yet to be counted early voting (disproportionately cast by Democrats) made it appear as if he was trailing throughout the rust belt.
“It’s going to take time to count the vote,” Biden continued. “As I’ve said all along, it’s not my place or Donald Trump’s place to declare who’s won this election. That’s the decision of the American people. But I’m optimistic about the outcome.”
Trump’s efforts, discrediting an American election as counting is still underway, has been criticized across the political aisle. “No, Trump has not already won the election,” Trump voter Ben Shapiro tweeted following the president’s speech, “and it is deeply irresponsible for him to say he has.”
Again, the race is likely to tighten in the coming days, particularly in Pennsylvania and Georgia were Trump currently leads. Although it is anxiety inducing, please be patient and understand processing the higher than usually number of mail-in votes will take time. On behalf of Dean Hagi Bradley, Paul Redfern sent out an email that reminded students about counseling options during these difficult times.