csmonitor--2020-11-04--Eyes on Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania as count continues

President Donald Trump carried the prized battleground of Florida , then he and Democrat Joe Biden shifted their focus early Wednesday to three Northern industrial states – Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania – that could prove crucial in determining who wins the White House .
A late burst of votes in Wisconsin from Milwaukee gave Mr. Biden a small lead , but it was too early to call the race .
Hundreds of thousands of votes were also outstanding in Michigan and Pennsylvania .
A changing electorate in Arizona handed historic victories to Democrats in the former Republican stronghold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Democratic presidential candidate since 1948 to win the state and retired astronaut Mark Kelly giving the party both Senate seats for the first time in nearly 70 years .
Mr. Biden carried California by 4 million votes .
California has now voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in every election since 1992 .
But early Wednesday , neither candidate had the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win .
Vote tabulations routinely continue beyond Election Day , and states largely set the rules for when the count has to end .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the date in December when presidential electors meet .
That ’ s set by federal law .
Mr. Trump made premature claims of victories in several key states from the White House early Wednesday morning and said he would take the election to the Supreme Court to stop the counting .
It was unclear exactly what legal action he might try to pursue .
Several states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after Election Day , as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday .
That includes Pennsylvania , where ballots postmarked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrive up to three days after the election .
Mr. Trump suggested those ballots shouldn ’ t be counted .
But Mr. Biden , briefly appearing in front of supporters in Delaware , urged patience , saying the election “ ain ’ t over until every vote is counted , every ballot is counted.
” “ It ’ s not my place or Donald Trump ’ s place to declare who ’ s won this election , ” Mr. Biden said .
“ That ’ s the decision of the American people.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his state had over 1 million ballots to be counted and that he “ promised Pennsylvanians that we would count every vote and that ’ s what we ’ re going to do . ''
“ I do not see a way that he could go directly to the Supreme Court to stop the counting of votes .
There could be fights in specific states , and some of those could end up at the Supreme Court .
But this is not the way things work , ” said Rick Hasen , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of California-Irvine .
Mr. Trump has appointed three of the high court 's nine justices including , most recently , Amy Coney Barrett .
Democrats typically outperform Republicans in mail voting , while the GOP looks to make up ground in Election Day turnout .
That means the early margins between the candidates could be influenced by which type of votes – early or Election Day – were being reported by the states .
Throughout the campaign , Mr. Trump cast doubt about the integrity of the election and repeatedly suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both campaigns had teams of lawyers at the ready to move into battleground states if there were legal challenges .
The tight overall contest reflected a deeply polarized nation struggling to respond to the worst health crisis in more than a century , with millions of lost jobs , and a reckoning on racial injustice .
Mr. Trump kept several states , including Texas , Iowa , and Ohio , where Mr. Biden had made a strong play in the final stages of the campaign .
But Mr. Biden also picked off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including New Hampshire and Minnesota .
But Florida was the biggest , fiercely contested battleground on the map , with both campaigns battling over the 29 Electoral College votes that went to Mr. Trump .
Wisconsin , which Trump narrowly won in 2016 , was another prized state .
The president seems certain to request a recount .
State law allows for the apparent losing candidate to pay for a recount if the margin of defeat is less than 1 % .
The president adopted Florida as his new home state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and held rallies there incessantly .
For his part , Mr. Biden deployed his top surrogate – President Barack Obama – there twice in the campaign ’ s closing days and benefitted from a $ 100 million pledge in the state from Michael Bloomberg .
Control of the Senate was at stake , too : Democrats needed to net three seats if Mr. Biden captured the White House to gain control of all of Washington for the first time in a decade .
But Republicans maintained several seats that were considered vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Kansas .
The House was expected to remain under Democratic control .
The pandemic – and Mr. Trump ’ s handling of it – was the inescapable focus for 2020 .
For Mr. Trump , the election stood as a judgment on his four years in office , a term in which he bent Washington to his will , challenged faith in its institutions and changed how America was viewed across the globe .
Rarely trying to unite a country divided along lines of race and class , he has often acted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led while undermining the nation ’ s scientists , bureaucracy and media .
The momentum from early voting carried into Election Day , as an energized electorate produced long lines at polling sites throughout the country .
Turnout was higher than in 2016 in numerous counties , including all of Florida , nearly every county in North Carolina and more than 100 counties in both Georgia and Texas .
That tally seemed sure to increase as more counties reported their turnout figures .
Voters braved worries of the coronavirus , threats of polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by changes to voting systems , but appeared undeterred as turnout appeared it would easily surpass the 139 million ballots cast four years ago .
No major problems arose on Tuesday , outside the typical glitches of a presidential election : Some polling places opened late , robocalls provided false information to voters in Iowa and Michigan , and machines or software malfunctioned in some counties in the battleground states of Ohio , Pennsylvania , Georgia , and Texas .
The cybersecurity agency at the Department of Homeland Security said there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malicious activity .
With the coronavirus now surging anew , voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns in the race between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden , according to AP VoteCast , a national survey of the electorate .
Voters were especially likely to call the public health crisis the nation ’ s most important issue , with the economy following close behind .
Fewer named health care , racism , law enforcement , immigration , or climate change The survey found that Mr. Trump ’ s leadership loomed large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voters said their vote was about Mr. Trump – either for him or against him .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Robert Burns , Kevin Freking , Aamer Madhani , Deb Riechmann and Will Weissert in Washington ; Bill Barrow and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta ; Jeff Martin in Cobb County , Georgia ; Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines ; Juan Lozano in Houston ; Corey Williams in West Bloomfield , Michigan ; Kathy McCormack in Concord , New Hampshire ; and Natalie Pompilio contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This story was updated at 6:50 a.m .

Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller, Jill Colvin, and Alexandra Jaffe

President Donald Trump carried the prized battleground of Florida, then he and Democrat Joe Biden shifted their focus early Wednesday to three Northern industrial states – Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania – that could prove crucial in determining who wins the White House.
A late burst of votes in Wisconsin from Milwaukee gave Mr. Biden a small lead, but it was too early to call the race. Hundreds of thousands of votes were also outstanding in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
A changing electorate in Arizona handed historic victories to Democrats in the former Republican stronghold, with Joe Biden becoming only the second Democratic presidential candidate since 1948 to win the state and retired astronaut Mark Kelly giving the party both Senate seats for the first time in nearly 70 years.
Mr. Biden carried California by 4 million votes. California has now voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in every election since 1992.
But early Wednesday, neither candidate had the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.
Vote tabulations routinely continue beyond Election Day, and states largely set the rules for when the count has to end. In presidential elections, a key point is the date in December when presidential electors meet. That’s set by federal law.
Mr. Trump made premature claims of victories in several key states from the White House early Wednesday morning and said he would take the election to the Supreme Court to stop the counting. It was unclear exactly what legal action he might try to pursue.
Several states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday. That includes Pennsylvania, where ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 can be accepted if they arrive up to three days after the election.
Mr. Trump suggested those ballots shouldn’t be counted. But Mr. Biden, briefly appearing in front of supporters in Delaware, urged patience, saying the election “ain’t over until every vote is counted, every ballot is counted.”
“It’s not my place or Donald Trump’s place to declare who’s won this election,” Mr. Biden said. “That’s the decision of the American people.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tweeted that his state had over 1 million ballots to be counted and that he “promised Pennsylvanians that we would count every vote and that’s what we’re going to do."
Legal experts were dubious of Mr. Trump's declaration.
“I do not see a way that he could go directly to the Supreme Court to stop the counting of votes. There could be fights in specific states, and some of those could end up at the Supreme Court. But this is not the way things work,” said Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California-Irvine.
Mr. Trump has appointed three of the high court's nine justices including, most recently, Amy Coney Barrett.
Democrats typically outperform Republicans in mail voting, while the GOP looks to make up ground in Election Day turnout. That means the early margins between the candidates could be influenced by which type of votes – early or Election Day – were being reported by the states.
Throughout the campaign, Mr. Trump cast doubt about the integrity of the election and repeatedly suggested that mail-in ballots should not be counted. Both campaigns had teams of lawyers at the ready to move into battleground states if there were legal challenges.
The tight overall contest reflected a deeply polarized nation struggling to respond to the worst health crisis in more than a century, with millions of lost jobs, and a reckoning on racial injustice.
Mr. Trump kept several states, including Texas, Iowa, and Ohio, where Mr. Biden had made a strong play in the final stages of the campaign. But Mr. Biden also picked off states where Mr. Trump sought to compete, including New Hampshire and Minnesota. But Florida was the biggest, fiercely contested battleground on the map, with both campaigns battling over the 29 Electoral College votes that went to Mr. Trump.
Wisconsin, which Trump narrowly won in 2016, was another prized state. The president seems certain to request a recount. State law allows for the apparent losing candidate to pay for a recount if the margin of defeat is less than 1%.
The president adopted Florida as his new home state, wooed its Latino community, particularly Cuban-Americans, and held rallies there incessantly. For his part, Mr. Biden deployed his top surrogate – President Barack Obama – there twice in the campaign’s closing days and benefitted from a $100 million pledge in the state from Michael Bloomberg.
Control of the Senate was at stake, too: Democrats needed to net three seats if Mr. Biden captured the White House to gain control of all of Washington for the first time in a decade. But Republicans maintained several seats that were considered vulnerable, including in Iowa, Texas, and Kansas. The House was expected to remain under Democratic control.
The pandemic – and Mr. Trump’s handling of it – was the inescapable focus for 2020.
For Mr. Trump, the election stood as a judgment on his four years in office, a term in which he bent Washington to his will, challenged faith in its institutions and changed how America was viewed across the globe. Rarely trying to unite a country divided along lines of race and class, he has often acted as an insurgent against the government he led while undermining the nation’s scientists, bureaucracy and media.
The momentum from early voting carried into Election Day, as an energized electorate produced long lines at polling sites throughout the country. Turnout was higher than in 2016 in numerous counties, including all of Florida, nearly every county in North Carolina and more than 100 counties in both Georgia and Texas. That tally seemed sure to increase as more counties reported their turnout figures.
Voters braved worries of the coronavirus, threats of polling place intimidation and expectations of long lines caused by changes to voting systems, but appeared undeterred as turnout appeared it would easily surpass the 139 million ballots cast four years ago.
No major problems arose on Tuesday, outside the typical glitches of a presidential election: Some polling places opened late, robocalls provided false information to voters in Iowa and Michigan, and machines or software malfunctioned in some counties in the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Texas.
The cybersecurity agency at the Department of Homeland Security said there were no outward signs by midday of any malicious activity.
With the coronavirus now surging anew, voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns in the race between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate.
Voters were especially likely to call the public health crisis the nation’s most important issue, with the economy following close behind. Fewer named health care, racism, law enforcement, immigration, or climate change
The survey found that Mr. Trump’s leadership loomed large in voters’ decision-making. Nearly two-thirds of voters said their vote was about Mr. Trump – either for him or against him.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Robert Burns, Kevin Freking, Aamer Madhani, Deb Riechmann and Will Weissert in Washington; Bill Barrow and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta; Jeff Martin in Cobb County, Georgia; Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines; Juan Lozano in Houston; Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Natalie Pompilio contributed to this report.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 6:50 a.m.


csmonitor--2020-11-04--Battle for US presidency continues into Wednesday morning

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden were locked in tight races in battleground states across the country Tuesday night as they concluded an epic campaign that will shape America ’ s response to the surging pandemic and foundational questions of economic fairness and racial justice .
Neither Michigan , Wisconsin , nor Pennsylvania – crucial swing states needed as each candidate vies for 270 Electoral College votes – were expected to be called before Wednesday .
Mr. Biden picked up the first battleground state of Tuesday night , New Hampshire , a small prize that Mr. Trump tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were too early to call in the most fiercely contested and critical states on the electoral map , including Florida , North Carolina , Georgia , and Pennsylvania .
Mr. Biden won California , the nation ’ s biggest electoral haul , and other predictable victories including Colorado and Virginia , two former battlegrounds that have become Democratic strongholds .
Mr. Trump ’ s wins included Kansas , North Dakota , and other conservative bastions .
Americans made their choices as the nation faced a confluence of historic crises with each candidate declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges .
Daily life has been upended by the coronavirus , which has killed more than 232,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs .
Millions of voters braved their worries about the virus – and some long lines – to turn out in person , joining 102 million fellow Americans who voted days or weeks earlier , a record number that represented 73 % of the total vote in the 2016 presidential election .
Early results in several key battleground states were in flux as election officials processed a historically large number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mail voting , while the GOP typically looks to make up ground in Election Day turnout .
That means the early margins between the candidates could be influenced by which type of votes – early or Election Day – were being reported by the states .
Trump and Biden were locked in a tight race in Florida , and it was too early for The Associated Press to call the perennial battleground state .
Florida has a history of close elections , including the state ’ s 2018 governor ’ s race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The AP was waiting on more votes to be counted in south Florida , including Miami-Dade County , the largest county in the state .
Control of the Senate was at stake , too : Democrats needed to net three seats if Mr. Biden captured the White House to gain control of all of Washington for the first time in a decade .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky won reelection in an early victory for the Republicans , and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , a close Trump ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hang onto his seat .
The parties traded a pair of seats in other early results : Democratic former Colorado Gov .
John Hickenlooper defeated incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner , and in Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville knocked off Sen. Doug Jones .
The House was expected to remain under Democratic control .
As the results began to come in , the nation braced for what was to come – and an outcome that might not be known for days .
A new anti-scaling fence was erected around the White House , and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis , workers boarded up businesses lest the vote lead to unrest .
With the worst public health crisis in a century still fiercely present , the pandemic – and Mr. Trump ’ s handling of it – was the inescapable focus for 2020 .
For Mr. Trump , the election stood as a judgment on his four years in office , a term in which he bent Washington to his will , challenged faith in its institutions , and changed how America was viewed across the globe .
Rarely trying to unite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and class , he has often acted as an insurgent against the government he led while undermining the nation ’ s scientists , bureaucracy , and media .
At the White House on Tuesday night , more than 100 family members , friends , donors , and staff were set to watch returns from the East Room .
Mr. Trump was watching votes come in upstairs in the residence with a few close aides .
Most top campaign officials were monitoring returns from a “ war room ” set up in the Eisenhower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day last-minute campaigning in Scranton , Pennsylvania , where he was born , and in Philadelphia with a couple of local stops in Wilmington , Delaware , where he was spending Election Night .
The president began his day on an upbeat note , predicting that he ’ d do even better than in 2016 .
But during a midday visit to his campaign headquarters , he spoke in a gravelly , subdued tone .
“ Winning is easy , ” Mr. Trump told reporters .
“ Losing is never easy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Trump left open the possibility of addressing the nation Tuesday night , even if a winner hadn ’ t been determined .
Mr. Biden was also scheduled to give a nighttime speech from Wilmington .
“ I ’ m superstitious about predicting what an outcome ’ s gon na be until it happens .
...
But I ’ m hopeful , ” said Mr. Biden .
“ It ’ s just so uncertain .
... You can ’ t think of an election in the recent past where so many states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from early voting carried into Election Day , as an energized electorate produced long lines at polling sites throughout the country .
Turnout was higher than in 2016 in numerous counties , including all of Florida , nearly every county in North Carolina and more than 100 counties in both Georgia and Texas .
That tally seemed sure to increase as more counties reported their turnout figures .
Voters braved worries of the coronavirus , threats of polling place intimidation , and expectations of long lines caused by changes to voting systems , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would easily surpass the 139 million ballots cast four years ago .
No major problems arose on Tuesday , outside the typical glitches of a presidential election : Some polling places opened late , robocalls provided false information to voters in Iowa and Michigan , and machines or software malfunctioned in some counties in the battleground states of Ohio , Pennsylvania , Georgia , and Texas .
The cybersecurity agency at the Department of Homeland Security said there were no outward signs by midday of any malicious activity .
The record-setting early vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be counted – drew unsupported allegations of fraud from Mr. Trump , who had repeatedly refused to guarantee he would honor the election ’ s result .
With the coronavirus now surging anew , voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns in the race between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden , according to AP VoteCast , a national survey of the electorate .
Voters were especially likely to call the public health crisis the nation ’ s most important issue , with the economy following close behind .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership loomed large in voters ’ decision-making .
Nearly two-thirds of voters said their vote was about Mr. Trump – either for him or against him .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Robert Burns ; Kevin Freking ; Aamer Madhani ; Deb Riechmann and Will Weissert in Washington ; Bill Barrow and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta ; Jeff Martin in Cobb County , Georgia ; Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines ; Juan Lozano in Houston ; Corey Williams in West Bloomfield , Michigan ; Kathy McCormack in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompilio contributed to this report .

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden were locked in tight races in battleground states across the country Tuesday night as they concluded an epic campaign that will shape America’s response to the surging pandemic and foundational questions of economic fairness and racial justice.
Neither Michigan, Wisconsin, nor Pennsylvania – crucial swing states needed as each candidate vies for 270 Electoral College votes – were expected to be called before Wednesday.
Mr. Biden picked up the first battleground state of Tuesday night, New Hampshire, a small prize that Mr. Trump tried to steal from Democrats. But races were too early to call in the most fiercely contested and critical states on the electoral map, including Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Biden won California, the nation’s biggest electoral haul, and other predictable victories including Colorado and Virginia, two former battlegrounds that have become Democratic strongholds. Mr. Trump’s wins included Kansas, North Dakota, and other conservative bastions.
Americans made their choices as the nation faced a confluence of historic crises with each candidate declaring the other fundamentally unfit to navigate the challenges. Daily life has been upended by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 232,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs.
Millions of voters braved their worries about the virus – and some long lines – to turn out in person, joining 102 million fellow Americans who voted days or weeks earlier, a record number that represented 73% of the total vote in the 2016 presidential election.
Early results in several key battleground states were in flux as election officials processed a historically large number of mail-in votes.
Democrats typically outperform Republicans in mail voting, while the GOP typically looks to make up ground in Election Day turnout. That means the early margins between the candidates could be influenced by which type of votes – early or Election Day – were being reported by the states.
Trump and Biden were locked in a tight race in Florida, and it was too early for The Associated Press to call the perennial battleground state. Florida has a history of close elections, including the state’s 2018 governor’s race, which went to a recount. The AP was waiting on more votes to be counted in south Florida, including Miami-Dade County, the largest county in the state.
Control of the Senate was at stake, too: Democrats needed to net three seats if Mr. Biden captured the White House to gain control of all of Washington for the first time in a decade. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky won reelection in an early victory for the Republicans, and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, fought off a fierce challenge to hang onto his seat.
The parties traded a pair of seats in other early results: Democratic former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper defeated incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner, and in Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville knocked off Sen. Doug Jones. The House was expected to remain under Democratic control.
As the results began to come in, the nation braced for what was to come – and an outcome that might not be known for days.
A new anti-scaling fence was erected around the White House, and in downtowns from New York to Denver to Minneapolis, workers boarded up businesses lest the vote lead to unrest.
With the worst public health crisis in a century still fiercely present, the pandemic – and Mr. Trump’s handling of it – was the inescapable focus for 2020.
For Mr. Trump, the election stood as a judgment on his four years in office, a term in which he bent Washington to his will, challenged faith in its institutions, and changed how America was viewed across the globe. Rarely trying to unite a country divided along lines of race and class, he has often acted as an insurgent against the government he led while undermining the nation’s scientists, bureaucracy, and media.
At the White House on Tuesday night, more than 100 family members, friends, donors, and staff were set to watch returns from the East Room. Mr. Trump was watching votes come in upstairs in the residence with a few close aides. Most top campaign officials were monitoring returns from a “war room” set up in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Mr. Biden spent the day last-minute campaigning in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he was born, and in Philadelphia with a couple of local stops in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was spending Election Night.
The president began his day on an upbeat note, predicting that he’d do even better than in 2016. But during a midday visit to his campaign headquarters, he spoke in a gravelly, subdued tone.
“Winning is easy,” Mr. Trump told reporters. “Losing is never easy, not for me it’s not.”
Mr. Trump left open the possibility of addressing the nation Tuesday night, even if a winner hadn’t been determined. Mr. Biden was also scheduled to give a nighttime speech from Wilmington.
“I’m superstitious about predicting what an outcome’s gonna be until it happens. ... But I’m hopeful,” said Mr. Biden. “It’s just so uncertain. ... You can’t think of an election in the recent past where so many states were up for grabs.”
The momentum from early voting carried into Election Day, as an energized electorate produced long lines at polling sites throughout the country. Turnout was higher than in 2016 in numerous counties, including all of Florida, nearly every county in North Carolina and more than 100 counties in both Georgia and Texas. That tally seemed sure to increase as more counties reported their turnout figures.
Voters braved worries of the coronavirus, threats of polling place intimidation, and expectations of long lines caused by changes to voting systems, but appeared undeterred as turnout appeared it would easily surpass the 139 million ballots cast four years ago.
No major problems arose on Tuesday, outside the typical glitches of a presidential election: Some polling places opened late, robocalls provided false information to voters in Iowa and Michigan, and machines or software malfunctioned in some counties in the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Texas.
The cybersecurity agency at the Department of Homeland Security said there were no outward signs by midday of any malicious activity.
The record-setting early vote – and legal skirmishing over how it would be counted – drew unsupported allegations of fraud from Mr. Trump, who had repeatedly refused to guarantee he would honor the election’s result.
With the coronavirus now surging anew, voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns in the race between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate.
Voters were especially likely to call the public health crisis the nation’s most important issue, with the economy following close behind.
Fewer named health care, racism, law enforcement, immigration, or climate change
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The survey found that Mr. Trump’s leadership loomed large in voters’ decision-making. Nearly two-thirds of voters said their vote was about Mr. Trump – either for him or against him.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Robert Burns; Kevin Freking; Aamer Madhani; Deb Riechmann and Will Weissert in Washington; Bill Barrow and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta; Jeff Martin in Cobb County, Georgia; Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines; Juan Lozano in Houston; Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Natalie Pompilio contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-11-03--In South Carolina, Graham defeats Harrison, securing fourth term

Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has secured a fourth term in the United States Senate .
The incumbent defeated Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison , an associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee .
Mr. Harrison ’ s massive fundraising broke records in the race , allowing the challenger to dominate airwaves and mount a significant ground effort .
Some polling in the campaign ’ s closing weeks showed a head-to-head race .
But Mr. Graham mustered support across South Carolina , where all statewide offices are held by Republicans and support for President Donald Trump remains strong .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he occupied a national television platform for days during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
The competition between Mr. Graham and Mr. Harrison turned into South Carolina ’ s most expensive race ever , with both candidates posting record fundraising .
Mr. Harrison raised $ 57 million in the third quarter alone , shattering all quarterly fundraising records for any Senate candidate , amassing a war chest of more than $ 100 million over the course of the race , becoming the first U.S. Senate candidate ever to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press late last week he had raised at least $ 100 million over the course of the race , his third-quarter haul of $ 28 million being the largest ever posted by a Republican Senate candidate in a quarterly filing period .
Mr. Graham often critiqued Mr. Harrison for relying mostly on out-of-state supporters , who made up about 90 % of his donor base .
Early on , through relationships forged in part through his standing as associate Democratic National Committee chairman , Mr. Harrison attained a high profile that brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , many funneled through Democrats ’ ActBlue fundraising portal .
In his pursuit of a fourth term , Mr. Graham also went outside the state for money , with about 86 % of his funders living somewhere other than South Carolina .
Both candidates , along with third-party groups pouring money into the race , waged nonstop ad campaigns on television and digital spaces that at times left voters fatigued by the content inundating them at every turn .
Mr. Graham ’ s newly minted close relationship with President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Mr. Harrison and other critics portraying him as too willing to acquiesce to his former foe , whom he at one time called a “ race-baiting , xenophobic , bigot.
” Mr. Graham maintained that he felt it in his constituents ’ best interests that he align with the president , who has remained popular in South Carolina .
In the race ’ s closing weeks , Mr. Trump ’ s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court created a dual challenge for Mr. Graham .
As chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham was tasked with shepherding the confirmation hearings , which began just three weeks before Election Day , as well as fending for his own seat .
Mr. Graham seemed to take the assignment in stride , using some moments to advocate for his ability to represent the needs of his constituents , such as calling the Affordable Care Act “ a disaster for the state of South Carolina , ” blaming the program for rural hospital closures and advocating instead for a bloc grant program .
Mr. Harrison , meanwhile , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hypocrisy on previous opposition to election-year high court appointments and relished having the state much to himself , switching from a largely virtual campaign pushed online due to the pandemic and spending more time holding socially distanced , in-person events .
Tim Orr , an asphalt contractor from Lexington , said he was voting to reelect President Donald Trump after a small business loan and his $ 1,200 stimulus check helped keep him afloat following the pandemic .
Mr. Orr was less enthusiastic about Mr. Graham , citing his uneven support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to throw the race to Mr. Harrison .
“ He ’ s got to be left where he ’ s at , ” he said of Mr. Graham .
Helen Sims who works at a Wal-Mart , cast her ballot for Mr. Harrison on Tuesday , saying Mr. Graham should have helped Americans struggling through the pandemic before prioritizing the Supreme Court hearings .
She said Mr. Harrison ’ s upbringing and his youthful energy will lead to better outcomes for working people .
“ We have walked in Jaime ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is Black .
“ Jaime ’ s compassionate.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Michelle Liu , a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative , contributed to this report from Lexington , South Carolina .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has secured a fourth term in the United States Senate.
The incumbent defeated Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison, an associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Mr. Harrison’s massive fundraising broke records in the race, allowing the challenger to dominate airwaves and mount a significant ground effort. Some polling in the campaign’s closing weeks showed a head-to-head race.
But Mr. Graham mustered support across South Carolina, where all statewide offices are held by Republicans and support for President Donald Trump remains strong.
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he occupied a national television platform for days during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
The competition between Mr. Graham and Mr. Harrison turned into South Carolina’s most expensive race ever, with both candidates posting record fundraising.
Mr. Harrison raised $57 million in the third quarter alone, shattering all quarterly fundraising records for any Senate candidate, amassing a war chest of more than $100 million over the course of the race, becoming the first U.S. Senate candidate ever to do so.
Mr. Graham told The Associated Press late last week he had raised at least $100 million over the course of the race, his third-quarter haul of $28 million being the largest ever posted by a Republican Senate candidate in a quarterly filing period.
Mr. Graham often critiqued Mr. Harrison for relying mostly on out-of-state supporters, who made up about 90% of his donor base. Early on, through relationships forged in part through his standing as associate Democratic National Committee chairman, Mr. Harrison attained a high profile that brought with it small-dollar donors from all over the country, many funneled through Democrats’ ActBlue fundraising portal.
In his pursuit of a fourth term, Mr. Graham also went outside the state for money, with about 86% of his funders living somewhere other than South Carolina. Both candidates, along with third-party groups pouring money into the race, waged nonstop ad campaigns on television and digital spaces that at times left voters fatigued by the content inundating them at every turn.
Mr. Graham’s newly minted close relationship with President Donald Trump played a prominent role in the race, with Mr. Harrison and other critics portraying him as too willing to acquiesce to his former foe, whom he at one time called a “race-baiting, xenophobic, bigot.” Mr. Graham maintained that he felt it in his constituents’ best interests that he align with the president, who has remained popular in South Carolina.
In the race’s closing weeks, Mr. Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court created a dual challenge for Mr. Graham. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr. Graham was tasked with shepherding the confirmation hearings, which began just three weeks before Election Day, as well as fending for his own seat.
Mr. Graham seemed to take the assignment in stride, using some moments to advocate for his ability to represent the needs of his constituents, such as calling the Affordable Care Act “a disaster for the state of South Carolina,” blaming the program for rural hospital closures and advocating instead for a bloc grant program. Mr. Harrison, meanwhile, called out what he saw as Mr. Graham’s hypocrisy on previous opposition to election-year high court appointments and relished having the state much to himself, switching from a largely virtual campaign pushed online due to the pandemic and spending more time holding socially distanced, in-person events.
Tim Orr, an asphalt contractor from Lexington, said he was voting to reelect President Donald Trump after a small business loan and his $1,200 stimulus check helped keep him afloat following the pandemic.
Mr. Orr was less enthusiastic about Mr. Graham, citing his uneven support of Mr. Trump, but didn’t want to throw the race to Mr. Harrison.
“He’s got to be left where he’s at,” he said of Mr. Graham.
Helen Sims who works at a Wal-Mart, cast her ballot for Mr. Harrison on Tuesday, saying Mr. Graham should have helped Americans struggling through the pandemic before prioritizing the Supreme Court hearings. She said Mr. Harrison’s upbringing and his youthful energy will lead to better outcomes for working people.
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“We have walked in Jaime’s shoes,” said Ms. Sims, who is Black. “Jaime’s compassionate.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Michelle Liu, a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, contributed to this report from Lexington, South Carolina. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


csmonitor--2020-11-03--McConnell Senate win called, but no easy sweep for other races

Republicans fought to keep control of the Senate on Tuesday in a razor-close contest against a surge of Democrats challenging President Donald Trump ’ s allies across a vast political map .
Polls closed in key states where some of the nation ’ s most well-known senators were on the ballot .
In Kentucky , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fended off Democrat Amy McGrath , a former fighter pilot in a costly campaign , but he acknowledged his GOP colleagues face tougher races .
It could be a long wait , as both parties saw paths to victory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on election night .
From New England to the Deep South and the Midwest to the Mountain West , Republicans are defending seats in states once considered long shots for Democrats .
The Trump administration ’ s handling of the COVID-19 crisis , its economic fallout , and the nation ’ s uneasy mood all seemed to be on the ballot .
Mr. Trump loomed large over the Senate races as did Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
They swooped into key states , including Iowa , Georgia , and Michigan , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns , according to AP VoteCast , a national survey of the electorate .
Securing the Senate majority will be vital for the winner of the presidency .
Senators confirm administration nominees , including the Cabinet , and can propel or stall the White House agenda .
With Republicans now controlling the chamber , 53-47 , three or four seats will determine party control , depending on who wins the presidency because the vice president can break a tie .
The campaigns were competing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans on defense deep into Trump country .
Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina secured a fourth term in the Senate , defeating Democrat Jamie Harrison , whose campaign stunned Washington by drawing more than $ 100 million in small-scale donations .
Polls also closed in Georgia , where two Senate seats were being contested .
They could easily push to a Jan. 5 runoff if no candidate reaches the 50 % threshold to win .
The Senate will welcome some newcomers as others retire .
In Tennessee , Republican Bill Hagerty won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is retiring .
Republican Cynthia Lummis , the former congresswoman from Wyoming , won the Senate seat opened by retiring GOP Sen. Mike Enzi .
So far , incumbent senators in less competitive races easily won .
Several Democrats were reelected , including No .
2 leader Dick Durbin of Illinois , Mark Warner in Virginia , and Ed Markey , who survived a primary challenge in Massachusetts .
Chris Coons kept the Delaware seat once held by Mr. Biden , defeating a Republican who previously promoted the baseless QAnon conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Arkansas , Ben Sasse in Nebraska , Shelley Moore Capito in West Virginia , and James Inhofe in Oklahoma won .
Stuck in Washington to confirm Mr. Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett a week before Election Day , senators quickly fanned out – some alongside the president – for last-ditch tours , often socially distanced in the pandemic , to shore up votes .
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis joined Mr. Trump ’ s rally in Fayetteville , North Carolina , on Monday .
Mr. Tillis has struggled against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenger ’ s sexting scandal with a public relations strategist .
Ms. Cunningham traveled around the state Tuesday , talking to voters in Efland , near Durham .
The state Board of Elections voted Tuesday to keep four North Carolina polling places open up to 45 minutes longer because they opened late , and that was expected to delay statewide reporting of results .
Democrats have more than one route to secure the three or four seats needed to capture the majority , and GOP strategists privately acknowledged that the incumbents will almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Younger voters and more minorities are pushing some states toward Democrats .
In Colorado , Democrat John Hickenlooper has defeated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in one of the closest-watched Senate races in the nation .
The election caps a four-year push by Democrats in Colorado , a state that was once known for its status as an evenly divided partisan battleground but has become reliably Democratic under Mr. Trump .
Arizona could see two Democratic senators for the first time since last century if former astronaut Mark Kelly maintains his advantage over GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held by the late Republican John McCain .
Even the open seat in Kansas , which hasn ’ t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932 , was being contested as the most costly in state history .
The biggest risks to Democrats were in Alabama and Michigan .
Republicans were expecting to reclaim the seat in Alabama , where Democrat Doug Jones pulled off a rare 2017 special election win in the Trump stronghold .
Republican Tommy Tuberville , a former Auburn football coach , won back the seat .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintained its margin in the Senate .
`` I look forward to serving in the Senate and voting in all the conservative manner that reflects the people of Alabama , ” Tuberville told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview Tuesday after being declared the winner .
In the presidential battleground of Michigan , Republicans have made an aggressive push for John James , a Black Republican businessman , against Democratic Sen. Gary Peters .
“ It ’ s my honor to stand before you today , Michigan , ” Mr. James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on stage with the president .
“ It ’ s time for a change.
” As voters were still at the polls , Mr. Peters stayed on message Tuesday tweeting , “ Today , health care is on the ballot.
” In Georgia , GOP Sen. David Perdue , the former business executive Mr. Trump calls his favorite senator , tried to stave off Democrat Jon Ossoff , another candidate who has benefited from the “ green wave ” of campaign donations .
Separately , GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler faced Republican Rep. Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warnock , in a special election for the seat she was appointed to fill after the retirement of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson .
The Maine race between GOP Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Sara Gideon was another contest that could push past Election Day if no candidate breaks the 50 % threshold .
Ms. Collins has typically rallied support as a centrist with an independent streak , but the tight contest shows the difficulty GOP senators have appealing to Mr. Trump ’ s most ardent backers while also retaining support from more moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing from six years ago , when most of these senators last faced voters .
It ’ s a reminder of how sharply the political climate has shifted in the Trump era .
In Montana , Republican Sen. Steve Daines was trying to hold off Democrat Steve Bullock , the governor , in a state where Mr. Trump was popular .
Democrats created an opening by working hard to recruit a well-known candidate in Mr. Bullock , who also ran in the party ’ s primary for president .
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Theresa Greenfield .
Texas Sen. John Cornyn faced an upstart Democrat , MJ Hegar , in the once solidly Republican state .
And in Alaska , newcomer Al Gross , a doctor , broke state fundraising records in part with viral campaign ads as he took on GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Latest update: 10:50 p.m. Tuesday
Republicans fought to keep control of the Senate on Tuesday in a razor-close contest against a surge of Democrats challenging President Donald Trump’s allies across a vast political map.
Polls closed in key states where some of the nation’s most well-known senators were on the ballot. In Kentucky, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fended off Democrat Amy McGrath, a former fighter pilot in a costly campaign, but he acknowledged his GOP colleagues face tougher races.
It could be a long wait, as both parties saw paths to victory, and the outcome might not be known on election night.
From New England to the Deep South and the Midwest to the Mountain West, Republicans are defending seats in states once considered long shots for Democrats. The Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, its economic fallout, and the nation’s uneasy mood all seemed to be on the ballot.
Mr. Trump loomed large over the Senate races as did Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. They swooped into key states, including Iowa, Georgia, and Michigan, in the final days of the campaigns. Voters ranked the pandemic and the economy as top concerns, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate.
Securing the Senate majority will be vital for the winner of the presidency. Senators confirm administration nominees, including the Cabinet, and can propel or stall the White House agenda. With Republicans now controlling the chamber, 53-47, three or four seats will determine party control, depending on who wins the presidency because the vice president can break a tie.
The campaigns were competing across an expansive map as Democrats put Republicans on defense deep into Trump country.
Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina secured a fourth term in the Senate, defeating Democrat Jamie Harrison, whose campaign stunned Washington by drawing more than $100 million in small-scale donations.
Polls also closed in Georgia, where two Senate seats were being contested. They could easily push to a Jan. 5 runoff if no candidate reaches the 50% threshold to win.
The Senate will welcome some newcomers as others retire. In Tennessee, Republican Bill Hagerty won the seat held by Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is retiring. Republican Cynthia Lummis, the former congresswoman from Wyoming, won the Senate seat opened by retiring GOP Sen. Mike Enzi.
So far, incumbent senators in less competitive races easily won.
Several Democrats were reelected, including No. 2 leader Dick Durbin of Illinois, Mark Warner in Virginia, and Ed Markey, who survived a primary challenge in Massachusetts. Chris Coons kept the Delaware seat once held by Mr. Biden, defeating a Republican who previously promoted the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.
Among Republicans, Tom Cotton in Arkansas, Ben Sasse in Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito in West Virginia, and James Inhofe in Oklahoma won.
Stuck in Washington to confirm Mr. Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett a week before Election Day, senators quickly fanned out – some alongside the president – for last-ditch tours, often socially distanced in the pandemic, to shore up votes.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis joined Mr. Trump’s rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Monday. Mr. Tillis has struggled against Democrat Cal Cunningham, despite the married challenger’s sexting scandal with a public relations strategist. Ms. Cunningham traveled around the state Tuesday, talking to voters in Efland, near Durham.
The state Board of Elections voted Tuesday to keep four North Carolina polling places open up to 45 minutes longer because they opened late, and that was expected to delay statewide reporting of results.
Democrats have more than one route to secure the three or four seats needed to capture the majority, and GOP strategists privately acknowledged that the incumbents will almost certainly suffer defeats in some races.
Younger voters and more minorities are pushing some states toward Democrats. In Colorado, Democrat John Hickenlooper has defeated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in one of the closest-watched Senate races in the nation. The election caps a four-year push by Democrats in Colorado, a state that was once known for its status as an evenly divided partisan battleground but has become reliably Democratic under Mr. Trump.
Arizona could see two Democratic senators for the first time since last century if former astronaut Mark Kelly maintains his advantage over GOP Sen. Martha McSally for the seat once held by the late Republican John McCain.
Even the open seat in Kansas, which hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, was being contested as the most costly in state history.
The biggest risks to Democrats were in Alabama and Michigan.
Republicans were expecting to reclaim the seat in Alabama, where Democrat Doug Jones pulled off a rare 2017 special election win in the Trump stronghold. Republican Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn football coach, won back the seat. As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, the GOP maintained its margin in the Senate. "I look forward to serving in the Senate and voting in all the conservative manner that reflects the people of Alabama,” Tuberville told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview Tuesday after being declared the winner.
In the presidential battleground of Michigan, Republicans have made an aggressive push for John James, a Black Republican businessman, against Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
“It’s my honor to stand before you today, Michigan,” Mr. James said at a final rally late Monday on stage with the president. “It’s time for a change.”
As voters were still at the polls, Mr. Peters stayed on message Tuesday tweeting, “Today, health care is on the ballot.”
In Georgia, GOP Sen. David Perdue, the former business executive Mr. Trump calls his favorite senator, tried to stave off Democrat Jon Ossoff, another candidate who has benefited from the “green wave” of campaign donations.
Separately, GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler faced Republican Rep. Doug Collins, as well as Democrat Raphael Warnock, in a special election for the seat she was appointed to fill after the retirement of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson.
The Maine race between GOP Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Sara Gideon was another contest that could push past Election Day if no candidate breaks the 50% threshold. Ms. Collins has typically rallied support as a centrist with an independent streak, but the tight contest shows the difficulty GOP senators have appealing to Mr. Trump’s most ardent backers while also retaining support from more moderate voters.
The political landscape is quickly changing from six years ago, when most of these senators last faced voters. It’s a reminder of how sharply the political climate has shifted in the Trump era.
In Montana, Republican Sen. Steve Daines was trying to hold off Democrat Steve Bullock, the governor, in a state where Mr. Trump was popular. Democrats created an opening by working hard to recruit a well-known candidate in Mr. Bullock, who also ran in the party’s primary for president.
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst was fighting for a second term against Democrat Theresa Greenfield. Texas Sen. John Cornyn faced an upstart Democrat, MJ Hegar, in the once solidly Republican state.
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And in Alaska, newcomer Al Gross, a doctor, broke state fundraising records in part with viral campaign ads as he took on GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-11-03--How the Associated Press determines election results

In the 2020 United States general election , The Associated Press will declare winners in more than 7,000 races – starting with the White House and reaching down the ballot to every seat in every state legislature .
To do so , AP uses a 50-state network of stringers who collect votes at a local level , while other AP journalists gather results from state or county websites , as well as via electronic data feeds from states .
But how does the AP know when to call a race for a candidate ?
And more importantly , even , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a complex formula that involves looking at the number of votes counted , historical data , and AP VoteCast , a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate , among other things .
News organizations have long relied on surveys of voters leaving polling sites on Election Day to gather data on how the country voted .
But this approach is no longer the best fit for an electorate that increasingly votes by mail and absentee methods , before polls even open on Election Day , says David Scott , a deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s coverage of elections .
Enter AP VoteCast , which debuted in 2018 .
Working with NORC at the University of Chicago , AP developed a new system designed specifically to account for the steady rise in votes cast before Election Day .
“ This will be the first election in which more than half of voters cast their ballots in advance , ” Mr. Scott said .
“ It ’ s why we took the time and spent the money to develop VoteCast.
” While the coronavirus pandemic has been an unexpected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s methodology is well suited for this moment .
Research from AP VoteCast will show how many people voted early , among other things , helping AP ’ s race callers understand how the race is shaping up .
Not all races are closely contested .
In some states , a party or candidate ’ s past history of consistent and convincing wins – by a wide margin – make a race eligible to be declared as soon as polls close .
In these states , AP can use results from AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr. Scott said .
“ The results from the poll – along with our analysis of early voting and other statistics – confirm our expectation that long-standing political trends in these states will hold , ” Mr. Scott said .
Still , AP will not call the winner of a race before all the polls close in a jurisdiction .
In closely contested races , there is no substitute for a detailed analysis of the vote count .
Race callers work with analysts who focus on statewide races , and together they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In states where the information is available , they look at the ballots and see how many were cast in person on Election Day , or in advance by mail or in person .
They also pay close attention to how many have been counted so far , and how many are left .
Another important factor : The voting history of areas where votes are still being counted .
All of it is aimed at determining the answer to a single question : Can the trailing candidates catch-up with the leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unquestionable “ No ” is the race is ready to be called .
When a race is ‘ too close to call ’ Beginning in 2019 , AP ’ s Decision Desk started the practice of formally declaring some elections as “ too close to call.
” That happens when all outstanding ballots , save provisional and late-arriving absentee ballots , have been counted , and there is no clear winner .
AP may decide not to call a race if the margin between the top two candidates is less than 0.5 percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally won ’ t call winners in races for the U.S. House if the margin is less than 1,000 votes , and won ’ t call winners in races for state legislature seats if the margin is less than 2 percentage points or 100 votes .
In races where votes are still being tabulated , AP will not declare a race “ too close to call ” unless it is clear it will proceed to or be subject to a recount .
That includes races where completing the vote count may take several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will describe a race as “ too early to call ” – an informal designation that indicates AP does not have enough data to make a race call .
AP does not declare a winner of an election that will be – or is likely to become – subject to a mandatory recount .
In several states , recounts are mandated if the margin between the top two candidates falls below a certain level .
AP will not call a race if the margin is in the recount range – or could end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are counted .
In some states , recounts can be requested if the margin falls below a certain level .
In others , candidates can request a recount regardless of the margin between the top two candidates .
In such instances , AP will not call a race if the margin between the top two candidates is 0.5 percentage points or less , or if the margin could fall below that once all ballots are counted .
AP may call the race if the trailing candidate confirms he or she won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate publicly concedes the election .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

In the 2020 United States general election, The Associated Press will declare winners in more than 7,000 races – starting with the White House and reaching down the ballot to every seat in every state legislature.
To do so, AP uses a 50-state network of stringers who collect votes at a local level, while other AP journalists gather results from state or county websites, as well as via electronic data feeds from states.
But how does the AP know when to call a race for a candidate? And more importantly, even, when not to call it? It’s a complex formula that involves looking at the number of votes counted, historical data, and AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate, among other things.
Accounting for early voters
News organizations have long relied on surveys of voters leaving polling sites on Election Day to gather data on how the country voted.
But this approach is no longer the best fit for an electorate that increasingly votes by mail and absentee methods, before polls even open on Election Day, says David Scott, a deputy managing editor who helps oversee AP’s coverage of elections.
Enter AP VoteCast, which debuted in 2018. Working with NORC at the University of Chicago, AP developed a new system designed specifically to account for the steady rise in votes cast before Election Day.
“This will be the first election in which more than half of voters cast their ballots in advance,” Mr. Scott said. “It’s why we took the time and spent the money to develop VoteCast.”
While the coronavirus pandemic has been an unexpected twist, Mr. Scott said AP VoteCast’s methodology is well suited for this moment. Research from AP VoteCast will show how many people voted early, among other things, helping AP’s race callers understand how the race is shaping up.
When the polls close
Not all races are closely contested. In some states, a party or candidate’s past history of consistent and convincing wins – by a wide margin – make a race eligible to be declared as soon as polls close. In these states, AP can use results from AP VoteCast to confirm a candidate has won, Mr. Scott said.
“The results from the poll – along with our analysis of early voting and other statistics – confirm our expectation that long-standing political trends in these states will hold,” Mr. Scott said.
Still, AP will not call the winner of a race before all the polls close in a jurisdiction.
How AP calls closely contested races
In closely contested races, there is no substitute for a detailed analysis of the vote count.
Race callers work with analysts who focus on statewide races, and together they study the incoming vote county by county.
In states where the information is available, they look at the ballots and see how many were cast in person on Election Day, or in advance by mail or in person. They also pay close attention to how many have been counted so far, and how many are left. Another important factor: The voting history of areas where votes are still being counted.
All of it is aimed at determining the answer to a single question: Can the trailing candidates catch-up with the leader? Only when the answer is an unquestionable “No” is the race is ready to be called.
When a race is ‘too close to call’
Beginning in 2019, AP’s Decision Desk started the practice of formally declaring some elections as “too close to call.” That happens when all outstanding ballots, save provisional and late-arriving absentee ballots, have been counted, and there is no clear winner.
AP may decide not to call a race if the margin between the top two candidates is less than 0.5 percentage points. On election night, AP generally won’t call winners in races for the U.S. House if the margin is less than 1,000 votes, and won’t call winners in races for state legislature seats if the margin is less than 2 percentage points or 100 votes.
In races where votes are still being tabulated, AP will not declare a race “too close to call” unless it is clear it will proceed to or be subject to a recount. That includes races where completing the vote count may take several days. In such cases, AP will describe a race as “too early to call” – an informal designation that indicates AP does not have enough data to make a race call.
What about recounts?
AP does not declare a winner of an election that will be – or is likely to become – subject to a mandatory recount.
In several states, recounts are mandated if the margin between the top two candidates falls below a certain level. AP will not call a race if the margin is in the recount range – or could end up in that range as final votes are counted.
In some states, recounts can be requested if the margin falls below a certain level. In others, candidates can request a recount regardless of the margin between the top two candidates. In such instances, AP will not call a race if the margin between the top two candidates is 0.5 percentage points or less, or if the margin could fall below that once all ballots are counted.
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AP may call the race if the trailing candidate confirms he or she won’t seek a recount, or if the candidate publicly concedes the election.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-11-03--USPS won't comply with order to sweep for 300,000 delayed ballots

The U.S .
Postal Service told a judge it could not complete his order to sweep mail processing facilities on Tuesday afternoon for delayed election ballots and immediately dispatch any for delivery in about a dozen states , including closely fought battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Florida .
USPS data showed as of Sunday about 300,000 ballots that were received for mail processing did not have scans confirming their delivery to election authorities .
While ballots may be delivered without scans , voting rights groups fear mail delays could cause at least some of those votes to be disqualified .
U.S. District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sweep in response to lawsuits by groups including Vote Forward , the NAACP , and Latino community advocates .
Affected by the order were processing centers in central Pennsylvania , northern New England , greater South Carolina , south Florida , Colorado , Wisconsin and parts of Illinois , Arizona , Alabama and Wyoming , as well as the cities of Atlanta , Houston , Philadelphia , Detroit .
Judge Sullivan ordered postal officials to complete the inspections by 3 p.m .
ET and certify by 4:30 p.m .
ET that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USPS told Judge Sullivan in a court filing that the agency was not able to complete the sweeps by 4:30 p.m. but was “ working as expeditiously as possible to comply with this court ’ s orders while recognizing physical and operational limitations and the need to avoid disrupting key activities on Election Day.
” Judge Sullivan rejected a request by the NAACP for an immediate hearing on Tuesday after the USPS disclosure , noting earlier sweeps had been conducted by 10 a.m. at all processing plants .
He said inspectors would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct the “ daily review process ... to ensure compliance at the critical period before the polls close ” and identify election mail “ as expeditiously as possible .
Given the timing , the court is inclined to let this process continue.
” Judge Sullivan said USPS must be prepared to discuss the apparent noncompliance at a hearing on Wednesday .
The Justice Department said postal inspectors were still reviewing 220 facilities handling election mail , including logs for accuracy , scanning for delayed mail , and ensuring election mail was processed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for postage due .
Many states will only count mailed ballots that are received by the end of Tuesday in their election results .
In August , the USPS suspended cost cutting such as removing post boxes and mail processing machines implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , an ally of President Donald Trump .
State attorneys general and civil rights groups said the changes would slow election mail delivery and make it difficult for voters to participate during the coronavirus pandemic .
The postal service has said it had delivered 122 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This story was reported by Reuters .

The U.S. Postal Service told a judge it could not complete his order to sweep mail processing facilities on Tuesday afternoon for delayed election ballots and immediately dispatch any for delivery in about a dozen states, including closely fought battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Florida.
USPS data showed as of Sunday about 300,000 ballots that were received for mail processing did not have scans confirming their delivery to election authorities. While ballots may be delivered without scans, voting rights groups fear mail delays could cause at least some of those votes to be disqualified.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan on Tuesday had ordered the sweep in response to lawsuits by groups including Vote Forward, the NAACP, and Latino community advocates.
Affected by the order were processing centers in central Pennsylvania, northern New England, greater South Carolina, south Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin and parts of Illinois, Arizona, Alabama and Wyoming, as well as the cities of Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, Detroit.
Judge Sullivan ordered postal officials to complete the inspections by 3 p.m. ET and certify by 4:30 p.m. ET that no ballots were left behind.
Lawyers for the USPS told Judge Sullivan in a court filing that the agency was not able to complete the sweeps by 4:30 p.m. but was “working as expeditiously as possible to comply with this court’s orders while recognizing physical and operational limitations and the need to avoid disrupting key activities on Election Day.”
Judge Sullivan rejected a request by the NAACP for an immediate hearing on Tuesday after the USPS disclosure, noting earlier sweeps had been conducted by 10 a.m. at all processing plants.
He said inspectors would be in the facilities throughout the evening to conduct the “daily review process ... to ensure compliance at the critical period before the polls close” and identify election mail “as expeditiously as possible. Given the timing, the court is inclined to let this process continue.”
Judge Sullivan said USPS must be prepared to discuss the apparent noncompliance at a hearing on Wednesday.
The Justice Department said postal inspectors were still reviewing 220 facilities handling election mail, including logs for accuracy, scanning for delayed mail, and ensuring election mail was processed expeditiously and no ballots were being held for postage due.
Many states will only count mailed ballots that are received by the end of Tuesday in their election results.
In August, the USPS suspended cost cutting such as removing post boxes and mail processing machines implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, an ally of President Donald Trump. State attorneys general and civil rights groups said the changes would slow election mail delivery and make it difficult for voters to participate during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The postal service has said it had delivered 122 million blank and completed ballots before Tuesday.
This story was reported by Reuters.


csmonitor--2020-11-03--Republicans have dominated redistricting. Here’s why that could change.

Amid the flux here in Georgia , Mr. Hagan sees hope .
Residents ’ “ values aren ’ t really that different , ” he says .
“ This is a great community , but we can make it even better together , and I want to be part of that.
” The result may be more states under split political control , exerting a tug toward middle ground on both state policymaking and redistricting .
Back in 2010 , by contrast , Republicans won state-level races that allowed them to dominate the once-in-a-decade process of redrawing political maps based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing .
A competitive race here in Richmond Hill for a Georgia House seat ( and in the sheriff ’ s race ) signals a possible realignment that has raised Democrats ’ hopes of winning control of a legislative chamber in today ’ s election .
While it may be a long shot in Georgia , party control of state legislative chambers could flip toward Democrats in a number of states , from Arizona and Texas to Michigan and Pennsylvania .
Al Hagan knows that despite “ a real shift in who lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conservative region .
“ So you may find it curious that I ’ m an African American and a Democrat running for sheriff.
” Georgia residents Larry and Helene Hunt – an African American couple who vote straight-ticket Democrat – have figured out over the years that “ change comes slow here in the South , ” as Ms. Hunt says .
Their 14-year tenure in Richmond Hill , a suburb of Savannah , exactly matches the years that Republicans have had a lock-tight grip on state politics .
One result has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district into a solid GOP stronghold .
Such partisan mapmaking has left thousands of Coastal Empire residents feeling little reason to vote or otherwise participate in democracy , Ms. Hunt says .
But that map is fraying .
Demographics have changed as new people move to Georgia , drawn in part by a strong economy and good schools .
And now , as a pandemic and political tumult drive huge numbers of voters to the polls , she says her feeling of democratic detachment “ is disappearing with this election.
” Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 40-something Black salesman – is running neck and neck with Ron Stephens , a white Republican who is a pharmacist and seven-term incumbent .
The fraying of this Republican-drawn district on the Ogeechee River hints at the possibility of a tectonic shift in this year ’ s election : Party control of state legislative chambers could flip in a number of states , from Arizona and Texas to Michigan and Pennsylvania .
In many cases , inroads by Democrats could leave more states under split political control , exerting a tug toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redistricting – the once-in-a-decade redrawing of political maps using updated census data .
Knocking Republicans out of power in Georgia ’ s House looks difficult , but it ’ s a possibility this year , when Democrats have high hopes of cracking Republican dominance in state-level politics .
“ What was safe in 2010 looks a lot different in so many of these states now , ” says Joshua Zingher , an Old Dominion University political scientist who studies the nationalization of state politics .
Though little noticed beneath the drama of contests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shifts could influence national politics for years to come .
The post-census redistricting could also provide a lens for Americans to see how their differences and similarities shape a nation , some experts say .
“ A tremendous amount [ of this election ] hinges on redistricting , which becomes a great window into the sociological , political , and cultural dynamics in different parts of the country , ” says Rick Pildes , author of “ The Law of Democracy.
” “ You may see class differences that emerge in different communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same when you see how they vote .
You learn things like where are white voters more or less willing to support minority candidates.
” With more than two-thirds of state legislative seats across the U.S. in play , and polls suggesting the possibility of a “ blue wave ” outcome , Democrats could crack at least some of the 22 Republican trifectas .
( Democrats have full control of the governorships and legislatures in 15 states , while the rest have split control . )
Both of Georgia ’ s chambers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Georgia political landscape is littered with the shattered hopes of Democrats .
Though 10 % of Georgians are foreign-born , 32 % are Black , and 60 % live in cities , statewide offices are all held by white , often rural Republicans , all but one male .
The party has largely moderated its policy agenda , with prescriptions on such traditionally liberal issues as early childhood education , state-funded college scholarships , and criminal justice reform .
Bill Benson , a prison guard , says that too many Georgians believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gone crazy ” for candidates like Mr. Thompson to prevail .
“ History tells you that their values just don ’ t work for voters here , ” says Mr. Benson , who is white .
But like other states , Georgia is changing .
Its economy has turned from heavy on trade and agriculture toward service industries like filmmaking .
And when Georgia last supported a Democrat for president – Bill Clinton in 1992 – about 77 % of voters were white .
By the time of a closely contested governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number had dwindled to 60 % .
That ’ s when a state representative with a liberal streak , a Black lawyer named Stacey Abrams , came within 55,000 votes of beating Brian Kemp , who as then-secretary of state oversaw his own election .
Here in Richmond Hill , a Democratic statehouse candidate got only 40 % of the vote in 2012 .
Two cycles went by when the party didn ’ t bother putting up a candidate .
But then in 2018 , the party ’ s candidate notched 48 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and down-ballot contests at stake , Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden spoke last week in Warm Springs , the Georgia community that Franklin Delano Roosevelt used as a “ Little White House ” retreat .
“ For the most part , state legislative races are still about national political winds , and obviously the political winds are bad for the Republicans at the moment , ” says Matt Grossman , author of “ Red State Blues : How the Conservative Revolution Stalled in the States.
” One dynamic may be salient in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People want small government until they see what that entails .
They don ’ t like less health care , less education , less social welfare policy .
They don ’ t want less environmental regulation.
” While some states now have frameworks designed to prevent partisan gerrymandering , 35 states let their legislatures draw districting maps .
After sweeping into control of multiple legislative chambers in the 2010 midterm election , Republicans drew on technology to divide up voters with surgical precision , such as by packing Black – and presumably Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans drew 55 % of congressional districts , compared to the Democrats ’ 10 % .
( The rest were drawn with split control of the process or by bipartisan commissions . )
But even as a landslide election win can benefit one party , it can also underscore the pitfalls of gerrymandering .
“ One thing to keep in mind with the gerrymander , what you ’ re trying to do , you want to win a large number of seats by a relatively narrow margin of votes , ” says Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your support around in a way that ’ s efficient by packing Democrats into majority-minority districts in the urban core and win everything else .
... [ But ] if you get a wave direction cutting against you then these districts you were winning by narrow margins , you may lose all of them.
” It remains far from certain that a blue wave will crest in Georgia ’ s local elections this year .
Al Hagan knows that despite “ a real shift in who lives here , ” coastal Georgia remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church and Republican politics .
“ So you may find it curious that I ’ m an African American and a Democrat running for sheriff.
” The owner of a successful polygraph testing firm , Mr. Hagan is running on a simple message of professionalism and leading the Bryan County department through much-needed changes , including adding equipment – like computers .
“ They ’ re still using paper and pen down there , ” he says .
But that he and Mr. Thompson are running competitively here suggests to him a realignment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also the shape and feel of communities .
Among residents in this area , “ our values aren ’ t really that different , ” Mr. Hagan says .
“ I love God and a strong economy .
I haven ’ t even asked what the sheriff makes , because it doesn ’ t matter .
This is a great community , but we can make it even better together , and I want to be part of that .
You can ’ t go wrong doing what ’ s right .
@

Amid the flux here in Georgia, Mr. Hagan sees hope. Residents’ “values aren’t really that different,” he says. “This is a great community, but we can make it even better together, and I want to be part of that.”
The result may be more states under split political control, exerting a tug toward middle ground on both state policymaking and redistricting. Back in 2010, by contrast, Republicans won state-level races that allowed them to dominate the once-in-a-decade process of redrawing political maps based on census data.
State-level politics matter a lot to voters’ lives, from new laws to the drawing of political districts. While “down-ballot” races tend to get little attention, this year some significant rebalancing of power in state legislatures could occur.
Yet times are changing. A competitive race here in Richmond Hill for a Georgia House seat (and in the sheriff’s race) signals a possible realignment that has raised Democrats’ hopes of winning control of a legislative chamber in today’s election. While it may be a long shot in Georgia, party control of state legislative chambers could flip toward Democrats in a number of states, from Arizona and Texas to Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Al Hagan knows that despite “a real shift in who lives here,” coastal Georgia remains fundamentally a conservative region. “So you may find it curious that I’m an African American and a Democrat running for sheriff.”
Georgia residents Larry and Helene Hunt – an African American couple who vote straight-ticket Democrat – have figured out over the years that “change comes slow here in the South,” as Ms. Hunt says.
Their 14-year tenure in Richmond Hill, a suburb of Savannah, exactly matches the years that Republicans have had a lock-tight grip on state politics. One result has been the gerrymandering of their state legislative district into a solid GOP stronghold.
Such partisan mapmaking has left thousands of Coastal Empire residents feeling little reason to vote or otherwise participate in democracy, Ms. Hunt says.
Why We Wrote This State-level politics matter a lot to voters’ lives, from new laws to the drawing of political districts. While “down-ballot” races tend to get little attention, this year some significant rebalancing of power in state legislatures could occur.
But that map is fraying. Demographics have changed as new people move to Georgia, drawn in part by a strong economy and good schools. And now, as a pandemic and political tumult drive huge numbers of voters to the polls, she says her feeling of democratic detachment “is disappearing with this election.”
Today, a political neophyte named Marcus Thompson – a 40-something Black salesman – is running neck and neck with Ron Stephens, a white Republican who is a pharmacist and seven-term incumbent.
The fraying of this Republican-drawn district on the Ogeechee River hints at the possibility of a tectonic shift in this year’s election: Party control of state legislative chambers could flip in a number of states, from Arizona and Texas to Michigan and Pennsylvania.
In many cases, inroads by Democrats could leave more states under split political control, exerting a tug toward middle ground on both state policymaking and redistricting – the once-in-a-decade redrawing of political maps using updated census data. Knocking Republicans out of power in Georgia’s House looks difficult, but it’s a possibility this year, when Democrats have high hopes of cracking Republican dominance in state-level politics.
“What was safe in 2010 looks a lot different in so many of these states now,” says Joshua Zingher, an Old Dominion University political scientist who studies the nationalization of state politics.
Though little noticed beneath the drama of contests for the presidency and Congress, state-level shifts could influence national politics for years to come. The post-census redistricting could also provide a lens for Americans to see how their differences and similarities shape a nation, some experts say.
“A tremendous amount [of this election] hinges on redistricting, which becomes a great window into the sociological, political, and cultural dynamics in different parts of the country,” says Rick Pildes, author of “The Law of Democracy.” “You may see class differences that emerge in different communities even though they somehow are largely the same when you see how they vote. You learn things like where are white voters more or less willing to support minority candidates.”
A shifting battleground
With more than two-thirds of state legislative seats across the U.S. in play, and polls suggesting the possibility of a “blue wave” outcome, Democrats could crack at least some of the 22 Republican trifectas. (Democrats have full control of the governorships and legislatures in 15 states, while the rest have split control.)
Patrik Jonsson/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Businessman and county sheriff hopeful Al Hagan stands outside the polls to greet early voters in Richmond Hill, Georgia, on Oct. 29, 2020. In this once firmly Republican stronghold, Mr. Hagan believes that a majority of residents may now be receptive to having someone like him at the top of local law enforcement – a moderate Democrat who "loves God and a strong economy."
Both of Georgia’s chambers are such battlegrounds.
To be sure, the Georgia political landscape is littered with the shattered hopes of Democrats. Though 10% of Georgians are foreign-born, 32% are Black, and 60% live in cities, statewide offices are all held by white, often rural Republicans, all but one male. The party has largely moderated its policy agenda, with prescriptions on such traditionally liberal issues as early childhood education, state-funded college scholarships, and criminal justice reform.
Bill Benson, a prison guard, says that too many Georgians believe that Democrats at the national level “have gone crazy” for candidates like Mr. Thompson to prevail. “History tells you that their values just don’t work for voters here,” says Mr. Benson, who is white.
But like other states, Georgia is changing. Its economy has turned from heavy on trade and agriculture toward service industries like filmmaking.
And when Georgia last supported a Democrat for president – Bill Clinton in 1992 – about 77% of voters were white. By the time of a closely contested governor’s race in 2018, that number had dwindled to 60%. That’s when a state representative with a liberal streak, a Black lawyer named Stacey Abrams, came within 55,000 votes of beating Brian Kemp, who as then-secretary of state oversaw his own election.
Here in Richmond Hill, a Democratic statehouse candidate got only 40% of the vote in 2012. Two cycles went by when the party didn’t bother putting up a candidate. But then in 2018, the party’s candidate notched 48%.
With Georgia’s electoral votes and down-ballot contests at stake, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden spoke last week in Warm Springs, the Georgia community that Franklin Delano Roosevelt used as a “Little White House” retreat.
“For the most part, state legislative races are still about national political winds, and obviously the political winds are bad for the Republicans at the moment,” says Matt Grossman, author of “Red State Blues: How the Conservative Revolution Stalled in the States.”
One dynamic may be salient in this pandemic year, he says: “People want small government until they see what that entails. They don’t like less health care, less education, less social welfare policy. They don’t want less environmental regulation.”
Remaking the map
While some states now have frameworks designed to prevent partisan gerrymandering, 35 states let their legislatures draw districting maps.
After sweeping into control of multiple legislative chambers in the 2010 midterm election, Republicans drew on technology to divide up voters with surgical precision, such as by packing Black – and presumably Democratic – voters together.
In 2011, Republicans drew 55% of congressional districts, compared to the Democrats’ 10%. (The rest were drawn with split control of the process or by bipartisan commissions.)
But even as a landslide election win can benefit one party, it can also underscore the pitfalls of gerrymandering.
“One thing to keep in mind with the gerrymander, what you’re trying to do, you want to win a large number of seats by a relatively narrow margin of votes,” says Mr. Zingher. “You want to spread your support around in a way that’s efficient by packing Democrats into majority-minority districts in the urban core and win everything else. ... [But] if you get a wave direction cutting against you then these districts you were winning by narrow margins, you may lose all of them.”
It remains far from certain that a blue wave will crest in Georgia’s local elections this year. Al Hagan knows that despite “a real shift in who lives here,” coastal Georgia remains fundamentally a conservative region, cemented by church and Republican politics. “So you may find it curious that I’m an African American and a Democrat running for sheriff.”
The owner of a successful polygraph testing firm, Mr. Hagan is running on a simple message of professionalism and leading the Bryan County department through much-needed changes, including adding equipment – like computers. “They’re still using paper and pen down there,” he says.
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But that he and Mr. Thompson are running competitively here suggests to him a realignment that could alter not just election maps but also the shape and feel of communities.
Among residents in this area, “our values aren’t really that different,” Mr. Hagan says. “I love God and a strong economy. I haven’t even asked what the sheriff makes, because it doesn’t matter. This is a great community, but we can make it even better together, and I want to be part of that. You can’t go wrong doing what’s right.”