US on the edge over uncertainty of election results

Days after the US held its presidential election, no winner has been declared yet between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. In battleground states of Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, and Pennsylvania where counting is still on going, a win by Biden in any of these states, assures him of reaching 270 electoral votes to make him the 46th US president. On the other hand, the path of reelection for Trump has been narrower by the day as he sees his lead in these states either dwindling or overtaken. Nevada, with its six electoral votes could seal the deal for Biden whose current pledged electoral votes stands at 264. With no plans to concede, Trump himself even claimed victory during his early morning press conference on November 4 and continues to hold that he can still win. He further sows doubts about the present count by alleging rampant fraud and widespread illegal maneuverings by the Democrats in counting votes most especially the mail-in ballots. He has already demanded a recount in Wisconsin and filed lawsuits against officials in various states as he seeks to invalidate and overturn recent results. As of this writing, the rest of the US and the world are still waiting for the eventual winner, which will take longer than usual given the legal challenges and a huge possibility that this contest could lead all the way to the US Supreme Court.

Personally, Trump has all the legal rights to make sure that every legal ballot is counted. It is his prerogative as a candidate but more so, he would be remiss in his role as chief law enforcer of the country in making sure that the election is not tainted by any criminal activity. He must be able to provide convincing proof of any wrongdoing that clouds the legitimacy of the eventual winner, be it himself or Biden. If he drags this further with flimsy lawsuits without substantial basis, the country will be further divided. I believe there will come a time when reasonable minds within the Republican Party will courageously stand up to him and advise him to place the interest of the country by honorably conceding. The big question is, given his temperament and personality, will he accede to this demand?

* * *

Just some trivia about US national elections:

1.) It’s not a federal holiday. People still go to work and go about their usual activities on the day of election.

2.) There are no uniform rules on the conduct of elections for federal positions. States possess the power of establishing their own procedure in holding elections even those for national offices such as president and vice president, members of the House and Senate. In my own State of New York, it does not require a form of identification when a voter casts his ballot. Just identify yourself and your home address and they will allow you to vote.

3.) In theory, people don’t actually vote for a president. They vote for the electors who pledged that they will carry out the will of the electorate. This is the concept of Electoral College. Which, by the way, is not a college in the ordinary sense.

4.) Presidential election uses the block vote method. When you elect your candidate for president, you also automatically elect his running mate. That way you avoid a more divided government.

5.) Obviously, there’s no vote buying here. And in the many years I have been observing their local and national elections here, except for Trump whose dance moves have become a Tiktok sensation, I have yet to see politicians dancing and singing in their rallies just to win votes.