Georgia hand recount affirms Biden's victory
President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia by 12,284 votes, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office said late Thursday, relaying the results of a six-day statewide hand recount of the 5 million ballots cast. Raffensperger plans to certify the results Friday, as required by law, effectively handing Biden Georgia's 16 electoral votes. President Trump won Georgia in 2016. The hand recount and audit of election returns in Georgia's 159 counties turned up nearly 6,000 unreported votes in four counties, and Trump gained about 1,400 votes when those were properly tallied. After the recount's results were released, The Associated Press joined other news organizations and declared Biden winner of the state, giving him a projected Electoral College win of 306 to 232.
Trump's campaign vowed to continue contesting the state, and the margin of defeat does allow for a taxpayer-funded machine recount, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The Trump campaign's demand for a second round of signature-matching — election workers verified the signatures when absentee ballots were received — would be "impossible during recounts because ballot envelopes can't be traced back to ballots," the Journal-Constitution notes. "The Georgia Constitution guarantees ballot secrecy."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Both Biden and Trump gained in counties where overlooked ballots were discovered, mostly due to county election officials failing to upload memory cards on election night, but Trump gained more votes. No county had an error rate of more than 0.73 percent, the Journal-Constitution reports, and 126 counties were within 10 votes of their original count; 54 counties recorded the exact same results in the original count and after the hand recount. The Trump campaign's legal avenues in Georgia have all but evaporated, and its efforts to slow down certification are faltering in several key states. U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg, a Trump appointee, rejected an attempt Thursday to block Georgia from finalizing its results due to lack of demonstrable improprieties.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Italian senate passes law allowing anti-abortion activists into clinics
Under The Radar Giorgia Meloni scores a political 'victory' but will it make much difference in practice?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine interactive crossword - May 3, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - May 3, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - May 3, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - May 3, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published