usatoday--2020-11-06--'Hard to believe this is real': Trump campaign urges Pennsylvania voters to mail late ballots

President Donald Trump 's campaign in Wisconsin has desperately sought volunteers to call Pennsylvanians and urge them to mail in absentee ballots by Friday , which is after the Keystone State 's deadline – even as the president himself rails against late votes and the ongoing vote count .
Only votes cast by Nov. 3 are legal according to Pennsylvania and federal election laws .
Trump himself has described any effort to vote after Tuesday as clear election fraud .
As of early Friday , the count in Pennsylvania showed Democrat Joe Biden pulling ahead of Trump who held a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of mailed-in ballots had been counted .
The Trump campaign is trying to take advantage of an effort by Pennsylvania to count all absentee votes mailed by Nov. 3 even if received up to three days later .
Under a federal court ruling upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court , absentee ballots mailed before the deadline and received by 5 p.m. Friday can be counted .
That ruling said ballots received by that point without postmarks , or with illegible postmarks , will be considered to have been mailed in time `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was mailed after Election Day . ''
Election results update : Biden on the verge of winning presidency with leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia An email obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sent at 5:19 p.m. Thursday by Kenosha for Trump is headlined `` Volunteers Urgently Needed . ''
It reads : `` Trump Victory urgently needs volunteers to make phone calls to Pennsylvania Trump supporters to return their absentee ballots .
These phone calls will help President Trump win the election ! ''
Volunteers are urged to contact a pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The two , Riley Pella and Joshua Williams , are paid staffers for the Republican Party of Wisconsin , filings with the Federal Election Commission show .
Dozens of Republican staffers in Wisconsin were involved in the operation to recruit volunteers to contact Trump supporters in Pennsylvania , according to one person familiar with the effort .
Pella referred questions about the email to Anna Kelly , spokeswoman for the Trump campaign in Wisconsin .
Kelly did not return requests for an interview on Thursday night .
`` This seems deeply stupid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to commit voter fraud , '' said Richard Hasen , a noted elections law specialist at the University of California , Irvine Law School .
`` It 's hard to believe this is real . ''
Justin Levitt , a constitutional law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles , said the email appeared to be a foolish attempt to try to highlight perceived problems and confusion created by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court 's ruling .
`` It is a fairly unimpressive scheme , if it is a scheme , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department under the Obama Administration .
Levitt said the email could be the basis for a criminal investigation under the section of federal civil rights laws that forbids `` conspiracies to encourage illegal voting . ''
But he added it would be a tough case to prove , making most federal prosecutors reluctant to seek an indictment .
The defense , he said , could simply be that the writer of the email misunderstood what the Pennsylvania court did , and thought ballots mailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Levitt said that based on `` imprecise reporting '' about what Pennsylvania 's high court actually ruled , that is a possible defense .
`` If you think Pennsylvania really does have three extra days , this is not a crazy email to send , '' Levitt said .
`` It is wrong and is unlawful ... but it does not have the hallmarks of a mastermind scheme . ''
An effort to get the votes to count would appear to be a longshot – a Friday postmark would clearly be too late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pennsylvania , postage is prepaid on some ballot envelopes .
These prepaid envelopes are not automatically postmarked .
As such , if they were mailed on Thursday night or Friday and delivered before the deadline , it 's conceivable some could be counted .
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a Republican Party effort to block the three-day extension .
But the court also ordered that ballots received after polls close on Tuesday to be segregated from those received earlier .
If the state turns out to be pivotal , the court indicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge after the election .
Benjamin Geffen , an attorney with the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia , said he doubted there are many — if any — Pennsylvania Trump supporters who had n't sent absentee ballots in on time .
But if any existed and did get their ballots somehow counted improperly , Trump 's campaign might point to that as an example of problems in the entire process , and use it to question the integrity of the larger count .
`` If you 're knowingly encouraging people to mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're encouraging cheating , '' Geffen said .
`` But maybe it 's just to muddy the waters . ''
He added : `` I do n't know if it 's what you could call first-degree misconduct , ( trying to actually get invalid votes counted ) or just second-degree misconduct , trying to create perception the process is riddled with fraud . ''
Pennsylvania secretary of state : Too few late-arriving Pennsylvania ballots to affect final outcome of Trump-Biden race Before the election , Trump had condemned the court 's decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it `` a horrendous decision for our country . ''
`` I think it ’ s a decision that allows tremendous cheating to go on after the fact but before the votes are tabulated , '' Trump said Monday in Milwaukee just before heading to Kenosha for an election-eve rally .
He added , `` It ’ s a mistake .
It allows cheating .
It allows cheating at a very high level , and very easy cheating , too . ''
The Trump campaign said Wednesday it was pursuing legal action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania and to prevent the counting of absentee ballots in Georgia that it claims arrived after an Election Day deadline .
Trump on Thursday again spoke out against late-arriving ballots , insisting that they should not be counted .
'Not everyone is born with spine ' : Tensions within GOP rise as Trump 's path to victory dwindles

Mary Spicuzza and Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

'Hard to believe this is real': Trump campaign urges Pennsylvania voters to mail late ballots
Show Caption Hide Caption Pennsylvania Governor calls Trump move 'simply disgraceful' Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says a lawsuit filed by President Trump's campaign to stop counting of ballots in the state is "simply wrong." (Nov. 4) AP
President Donald Trump's campaign in Wisconsin has desperately sought volunteers to call Pennsylvanians and urge them to mail in absentee ballots by Friday, which is after the Keystone State's deadline – even as the president himself rails against late votes and the ongoing vote count.
Only votes cast by Nov. 3 are legal according to Pennsylvania and federal election laws. Trump himself has described any effort to vote after Tuesday as clear election fraud.
As of early Friday, the count in Pennsylvania showed Democrat Joe Biden pulling ahead of Trump who held a large lead on election night before the majority of mailed-in ballots had been counted.
The Trump campaign is trying to take advantage of an effort by Pennsylvania to count all absentee votes mailed by Nov. 3 even if received up to three days later.
Under a federal court ruling upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, absentee ballots mailed before the deadline and received by 5 p.m. Friday can be counted.
That ruling said ballots received by that point without postmarks, or with illegible postmarks, will be considered to have been mailed in time "unless a preponderance of the evidence demonstrates that it was mailed after Election Day."
Election results update: Biden on the verge of winning presidency with leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia
'Volunteers Urgently Needed'
An email obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sent at 5:19 p.m. Thursday by Kenosha for Trump is headlined "Volunteers Urgently Needed."
It reads: "Trump Victory urgently needs volunteers to make phone calls to Pennsylvania Trump supporters to return their absentee ballots. These phone calls will help President Trump win the election!"
Volunteers are urged to contact a pair of field directors listed in the email. The two, Riley Pella and Joshua Williams, are paid staffers for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, filings with the Federal Election Commission show.
Dozens of Republican staffers in Wisconsin were involved in the operation to recruit volunteers to contact Trump supporters in Pennsylvania, according to one person familiar with the effort.
Pella referred questions about the email to Anna Kelly, spokeswoman for the Trump campaign in Wisconsin.
Kelly did not return requests for an interview on Thursday night.
A solicitation to commit voter fraud?
"This seems deeply stupid as it seems to be a solicitation to commit voter fraud," said Richard Hasen, a noted elections law specialist at the University of California, Irvine Law School. "It's hard to believe this is real."
Justin Levitt, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said the email appeared to be a foolish attempt to try to highlight perceived problems and confusion created by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's ruling.
"It is a fairly unimpressive scheme, if it is a scheme," said Levitt, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department under the Obama Administration.
Levitt said the email could be the basis for a criminal investigation under the section of federal civil rights laws that forbids "conspiracies to encourage
illegal voting." But he added it would be a tough case to prove, making most federal prosecutors reluctant to seek an indictment.
The defense, he said, could simply be that the writer of the email misunderstood what the Pennsylvania court did, and thought ballots mailed after Tuesday would still be counted. Levitt said that based on "imprecise reporting" about what Pennsylvania's high court actually ruled, that is a possible defense.
"If you think Pennsylvania really does have three extra days, this is not a crazy email to send," Levitt said. "It is wrong and is unlawful ... but it does not have the hallmarks of a mastermind scheme."
An effort to get the votes to count would appear to be a longshot – a Friday postmark would clearly be too late. But Fox News has reported that in Pennsylvania, postage is prepaid on some ballot envelopes. These prepaid envelopes are not automatically postmarked.
As such, if they were mailed on Thursday night or Friday and delivered before the deadline, it's conceivable some could be counted.
Supreme Court decision
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a Republican Party effort to block the three-day extension. But the court also ordered that ballots received after polls close on Tuesday to be segregated from those received earlier.
If the state turns out to be pivotal, the court indicated it may consider the state GOP's challenge after the election.
Benjamin Geffen, an attorney with the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, said he doubted there are many — if any — Pennsylvania Trump supporters who hadn't sent absentee ballots in on time.
But if any existed and did get their ballots somehow counted improperly, Trump's campaign might point to that as an example of problems in the entire process, and use it to question the integrity of the larger count.
"If you're knowingly encouraging people to mail in ballots after the deadline, you're encouraging cheating," Geffen said. "But maybe it's just to muddy the waters."
He added: "I don't know if it's what you could call first-degree misconduct, (trying to actually get invalid votes counted) or just second-degree misconduct, trying to create perception the process is riddled with fraud."
Pennsylvania secretary of state: Too few late-arriving Pennsylvania ballots to affect final outcome of Trump-Biden race
Trump has slammed decision
Before the election, Trump had condemned the court's decision to leave the three-day extension in place, calling it "a horrendous decision for our country."
"I think it’s a decision that allows tremendous cheating to go on after the fact but before the votes are tabulated," Trump said Monday in Milwaukee just before heading to Kenosha for an election-eve rally.
He added, "It’s a mistake. It allows cheating. It allows cheating at a very high level, and very easy cheating, too."
The Trump campaign said Wednesday it was pursuing legal action to stop ballot counting in Michigan and Pennsylvania and to prevent the counting of absentee ballots in Georgia that it claims arrived after an Election Day deadline.
Trump on Thursday again spoke out against late-arriving ballots, insisting that they should not be counted.
'Not everyone is born with spine': Tensions within GOP rise as Trump's path to victory dwindles


usatoday--2020-11-06--In straw poll that has historically predicted presidency, Guam voters choose Joe Biden

HAGÅTÑA , Guam — In a straw poll that has historically predicted the winner of the presidency , Guam voters chose former Vice President Joe Biden to win the presidential election .
This year , according to unofficial results , 29,034 people voted in the General Election , and of those 26,901 voted in the straw poll .
Biden got 14,445 , or 55.36 % , of the votes while President Donald Trump got 10,938 , or 41.92 % , of the vote .
The straw poll — an unofficial ballot that measures opinion — has no impact on who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all Guam voters are American citizens , their votes in the presidential race do not count because Guam has no representation in the Electoral College .
Unlike U.S. citizens who live in foreign countries , Guam residents are not allowed to vote absentee from the states .
Voters in Guam have participated in a straw poll for president since 1980 — and , since that time , they have correctly predicted the outcome of the election , except in 2016 .
But a lot of forecasters got it wrong that year .
Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island 's vote in 2016 , and Republican Donald Trump received 24.2 % .
In 1996 , an Election Day typhoon delayed voting .
By the time islanders went to the polls , the rest of the country had already elected Bill Clinton and Al Gore .

Staff, Pacific Daily News/USA TODAY Network

In straw poll that has historically predicted presidency, Guam voters choose Joe Biden
Show Caption Hide Caption 2020 election: Biden calls for unity as votes continue to be counted Biden calls for unity during his speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Votes are still being counted in states across the country. USA TODAY
HAGÅTÑA, Guam — In a straw poll that has historically predicted the winner of the presidency, Guam voters chose former Vice President Joe Biden to win the presidential election.
This year, according to unofficial results, 29,034 people voted in the General Election, and of those 26,901 voted in the straw poll. Biden got 14,445, or 55.36%, of the votes while President Donald Trump got 10,938, or 41.92%, of the vote.
The straw poll — an unofficial ballot that measures opinion — has no impact on who actually wins the U.S. presidency. Although all Guam voters are American citizens, their votes in the presidential race do not count because Guam has no representation in the Electoral College. Unlike U.S. citizens who live in foreign countries, Guam residents are not allowed to vote absentee from the states.
Voters in Guam have participated in a straw poll for president since 1980 — and, since that time, they have correctly predicted the outcome of the election, except in 2016. But a lot of forecasters got it wrong that year.
Democrat Hillary Clinton received 71.6% of the island's vote in 2016, and Republican Donald Trump received 24.2%.
2016 Election: Guam, which has historically predicted election winner, picks Clinton
In 1996, an Election Day typhoon delayed voting. By the time islanders went to the polls, the rest of the country had already elected Bill Clinton and Al Gore.
Contributing: Dana Williams, (Guam) Pacific Daily News.


usatoday--2020-11-06--Stocks notch biggest weekly gain since April

Stocks closed out their best week since April on Friday , driven by the potential for more gridlock in Washington even as the winner of the White House is still unknown .
Optimism was pumping through other areas of the market , and Treasury yields climbed after a report showed U.S. employers hired more workers last month than economists expected .
They ’ re the latest swings in a wild week dominated by Tuesday ’ s election .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 66.78 points , or 0.2 % , to close at 28,323.40 , paring losses after dropping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Nasdaq Composite ticked up less than 0.1 % to end at 11,895.23 , after a furious four-day rally that was helped by gains in several Big Tech companies .
The S & P 500 was virtually unchanged , dipping less than 0.1 % to finish at 3509.44 .
It jumped 7.3 % higher for the week , its best weekly gain since April .
It had jumped at least 1.2 % in each of the last four days , with the gains accelerating after early results indicated control of Congress may remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised investors ’ expectations that business-friendly policies may stick around , regardless of who wins the presidency .
“ Election Day is behind us , but corporate earnings can still improve with further stimulus , an end to COVID-19 , and continued economic recovery , ” Mark Haefele , chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management , said in a note .
“ Fiscal stimulus should be supportive even if it is less than expected , and we still expect a vaccine to become widely available by the second quarter of next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden leads in vote counting for Tuesday ’ s U.S. presidential election , but President Donald Trump and his supporters are questioning the legitimacy of the totals with key states still counting ballots .
“ Markets are still betting on a clear election outcome ( presumably Biden ) , ” analyst at Mizuho Bank said in a report .
Analysts warn that an extended court battle with no clear winner could increase uncertainty , which markets dislike , and drag down stocks .
The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 0.81 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government said employers added 638,000 jobs last month .
The stronger-than-expected tally suggests the economic recovery may still be intact , though it also marked another slowdown in monthly job growth .
The rally helped the 10-year Treasury yield claw back some of its recent slide .
It had been above 0.90 % earlier this week when expectations were rising that a Democratic sweep of Tuesday ’ s elections could open the door for a big stimulus effort for the economy .
The nation has recovered about 12 million , or 55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wiped out in the health crisis .
“ Since the economic recovery has started , just over half the jobs lost have been brought back , ” Charlie Ripley , senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management , said in a note .
“ Today ’ s report highlights the challenge for lawmakers as the impulse for additional fiscal stimulus hangs in the balance between the pace of the economic recovery and the downside risks of the public health crisis , ” Ripley said .
The upside of gridlock for markets is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the measures investors feared , such as higher tax rates and tougher antitrust policies for big technology companies .
But the downside is that a still-divided Washington makes any support package for the economy coming from Congress likely to be less generous than if Democrats had swept the election .
Investors and economists say the economy needs such stimulus , particularly when the country ’ s new coronavirus cases are setting records once again .
Europe is also facing a troubling rise in infections , and governments there have already brought back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread .
Even if the strictest lockdowns don ’ t return in the United States , the worry is that the worsening pandemic will scare consumers by itself and erase profits for businesses .
“ The economy itself is on a more solid footing than most people realize , but to get us back to a level where we have peak profit potential we really need to tackle the COVID-19 issue , ” Scott Glasser , co-chief investment officer at ClearBridge Investments , said in a note .
“ We need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will dictate the return to more and stronger growth.
” On Thursday , the U.S. Federal Reserve said its key interest rate will be left at a record low near zero .
It reaffirmed its readiness to do more to support the economy under threat from a worsening coronavirus pandemic .
In European stock markets , France ’ s CAC 40 fell 0.5 % and Germany ’ s DAX lost 0.7 % .
The FTSE 100 in London rose 0.1 % .
In Asia , Japan ’ s Nikkei 225 rose 0.9 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.1 % and Hong Kong ’ s Hang Seng gained 0.1 % .
Stocks in Shanghai slipped 0.2 % .

Stocks notch biggest weekly gain since April
Show Caption Hide Caption US coronavirus cases surge amid election battle The surging coronavirus cases and hospitalizations happening around the country reflect the challenge that President Donald Trump or Joe Biden will face in the coming months. (Nov. 6) AP
Stocks closed out their best week since April on Friday, driven by the potential for more gridlock in Washington even as the winner of the White House is still unknown.
Optimism was pumping through other areas of the market, and Treasury yields climbed after a report showed U.S. employers hired more workers last month than economists expected. They’re the latest swings in a wild week dominated by Tuesday’s election.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 66.78 points, or 0.2%, to close at 28,323.40, paring losses after dropping roughly 200 points at the open. The Nasdaq Composite ticked up less than 0.1% to end at 11,895.23, after a furious four-day rally that was helped by gains in several Big Tech companies.
The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged, dipping less than 0.1% to finish at 3509.44. It jumped 7.3% higher for the week, its best weekly gain since April. It had jumped at least 1.2% in each of the last four days, with the gains accelerating after early results indicated control of Congress may remain split between Democrats and Republicans.
That raised investors’ expectations that business-friendly policies may stick around, regardless of who wins the presidency.
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“Election Day is behind us, but corporate earnings can still improve with further stimulus, an end to COVID-19, and continued economic recovery,” Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, said in a note.
“Fiscal stimulus should be supportive even if it is less than expected, and we still expect a vaccine to become widely available by the second quarter of next year,” Haefele added.
Joe Biden leads in vote counting for Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, but President Donald Trump and his supporters are questioning the legitimacy of the totals with key states still counting ballots.
“Markets are still betting on a clear election outcome (presumably Biden),” analyst at Mizuho Bank said in a report.
Analysts warn that an extended court battle with no clear winner could increase uncertainty, which markets dislike, and drag down stocks.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 0.81% from 0.78% late Thursday after the U.S. government said employers added 638,000 jobs last month. The stronger-than-expected tally suggests the economic recovery may still be intact, though it also marked another slowdown in monthly job growth.
The rally helped the 10-year Treasury yield claw back some of its recent slide. It had been above 0.90% earlier this week when expectations were rising that a Democratic sweep of Tuesday’s elections could open the door for a big stimulus effort for the economy.
The nation has recovered about 12 million, or 55%, of the 22 million jobs wiped out in the health crisis.
“Since the economic recovery has started, just over half the jobs lost have been brought back,” Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management, said in a note.
“Today’s report highlights the challenge for lawmakers as the impulse for additional fiscal stimulus hangs in the balance between the pace of the economic recovery and the downside risks of the public health crisis,” Ripley said.
The upside of gridlock for markets is that it may prevent Democrats from approving some of the measures investors feared, such as higher tax rates and tougher antitrust policies for big technology companies. But the downside is that a still-divided Washington makes any support package for the economy coming from Congress likely to be less generous than if Democrats had swept the election.
Investors and economists say the economy needs such stimulus, particularly when the country’s new coronavirus cases are setting records once again. Europe is also facing a troubling rise in infections, and governments there have already brought back restrictions on businesses in hopes of slowing the spread.
Even if the strictest lockdowns don’t return in the United States, the worry is that the worsening pandemic will scare consumers by itself and erase profits for businesses.
“The economy itself is on a more solid footing than most people realize, but to get us back to a level where we have peak profit potential we really need to tackle the COVID-19 issue,” Scott Glasser, co-chief investment officer at ClearBridge Investments, said in a note. “We need to have success with the vaccines and that will dictate the return to more and stronger growth.”
On Thursday, the U.S. Federal Reserve said its key interest rate will be left at a record low near zero. It reaffirmed its readiness to do more to support the economy under threat from a worsening coronavirus pandemic.
In European stock markets, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.5% and Germany’s DAX lost 0.7%. The FTSE 100 in London rose 0.1%.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.9%, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.1% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.1%. Stocks in Shanghai slipped 0.2%.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-07--How Joe Biden's leads in Pennsylvania, Nevada give him a path to 270 electoral votes

Former Vice President Joe Biden is on the verge of reaching 270 electoral votes and winning the race for president after he surged ahead in Georgia and Pennsylvania on Friday .
By Saturday , Biden 's lead in Pennsylvania exceeded 28,000 votes as counting continues .
Biden pulled ahead as election officials in both states worked around the clock to count outstanding absentee ballots that heavily favored the former vice president .
Both states are still too close to call , but Biden 's margins are expected to widen as the final mail-in ballots are counted .
The Georgia election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also strengthened his lead in Nevada .
Biden currently stands at 264 electoral votes .
The next state he wins would give him the 270 needed to secure the presidency and erase the limited pathway for President Donald Trump .
Biden appears most likely to finish with 306 electoral votes .
North Carolina , where Biden trails , remains uncalled as election officials prepare to count absentee ballots over the coming days .
Alaska is n't called but expected to go for Trump .
Biden figures to increase his leads in Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining counties with uncounted absentee ballots lean left , but mail-voting itself is more favored by Biden supporters .
After Trump 's yearlong crusade against mail-voting , the president 's voters were reluctant to vote by mail while Biden supporters embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Biden supporters dominated mail-voting by a 2 to 1 margin nationally .
In the graphic below , each candidate needs to fill their block to win the presidency .
The gray spaces represent the remaining paths to victory .
Keep in mind that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers in this story are as current as the timestamp at the bottom of the story .
Here is a look at those same states laid out geographically : Biden currently leads Trump in Georgia by more than 7,000 votes .
Georgia still has more than 4,400 absentee ballots to count , but they are mostly from Gwinnett County near Atlanta , which voted strongly for Biden .
There remain around 13,000 provisional ballots and up to 8,410 overseas and military ballots that could still arrive .
The election outcome will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less than .5 % .
Trump leads North Carolina over Biden by 76,737 votes .
The outcome might not be final for another week as the Tar Heel State counts what could be more than 150,000 more absentee ballots .
North Carolina 's deadline for mail-in ballots to be received is Nov. 12 as long as they are postmarked by Election Day .
Biden surged ahead in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania as absentee ballots from Democrat-heavy Philadelphia poured in .
Biden leads by more than 28,000 votes at last count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100,000 .
The Keystone State still has 124,000 more absentee ballots to count , but the overwhelming majority are expected to favor Biden .
In Nevada , Biden extended his lead over Trump to more than 22,000 ballots .
Democrat Hillary Clinton won Nevada four years ago .
At this point , even if Trump were to come back , it would not be enough to overcome Biden in the electoral vote count .
The outstanding mail-in ballots are expected to favor Biden .

Joey Garrison, Kim Hjelmgaard, Jennifer Borresen, Carlie Procell, Ramon Padilla, Karina Zaiets and Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Democratic nominee Joe Biden surpassed 270 electoral votes and secured the race for president Saturday after Pennsylvania, where his lead keeps growing as more absentee ballots are counted, was finally called for the former vice president.
Biden clinched a victory in Nevada soon after, giving him 290 electoral votes. Georgia, where Biden now leads by more than 7,000 votes, is headed for a recount. If he wins it, Biden would finish with 306 electoral votes.
President Donald Trump has no more pathways to victory.
Biden, the president-elect, is the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president since Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush in 1992. His running-mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, will become the first woman, African American and South Asian American vice president.
North Carolina, where Biden trails, remains uncalled as election officials prepare to count absentee ballots over the coming days. Alaska isn't called but is expected to go for Trump. Even if Trump were to win both, it would be not enough for the president.
The Associated Press and multiple news networks called Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes for Biden after his lead reached more than 30,000 votes, a large enough margin to withstand any more votes that could go to Trump. Biden's lead in Pennsylvania is expected to grow.
Not only do the remaining counties with uncounted absentee ballots in Pennsylvania lean left, but mail voting itself is more favored by Biden supporters. Pennsylvania also has to count about 100,000 provisional ballots, which historically lean Democratic.
After Trump's yearlong crusade against mail voting, the president's voters were reluctant to vote by mail while Biden supporters embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden supporters dominated mail voting by a 2 to 1 margin nationally.
That's why Trump appeared ahead in several battleground states on election night, but the race shifted to Biden as mail-in ballots were counted.
Below is where the vote tallies stand in each state:
Here is a look at those same states laid out geographically:
Pennsylvania
Biden's lead in Pennsylvania is 34,501 electoral votes with 76,496 more absentee ballots, plus an additional 100,000 provisional ballots to count. Nearly half of the provisional ballots are in Democratic strongholds Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
The Keystone State still has 124,000 more absentee ballots to count, but the overwhelming majority are expected to favor Biden.
Georgia
Biden currently leads Trump in Georgia by 7,264 votes with few absentee ballots still left to count.
There remain around 13,000 provisional ballots and some overseas and military ballots that could still arrive. The election outcome will be subject to a recount because the margin is less than .5%.
Nevada
In Nevada, Biden extended his lead over Trump to 25,659 ballots, enough for the Associated Press to call the state for Biden.
Democrat Hillary Clinton won Nevada four years ago. The outstanding mail-in ballots are expected to favor Biden.
North Carolina
Trump leads North Carolina over Biden by 76,737 votes. The outcome might not be final for another week as the Tar Heel State counts what could be more than 150,000 more absentee ballots. North Carolina's deadline for mail-in ballots to be received is Nov. 12 as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
Jim Sergent contributed to this report.


usatoday--2020-11-07--Joe Biden urges patience, unity as he waits with the rest of America

Joe Biden — like the rest of America — is still waiting .
Despite being on the cusp of the presidency , Biden did not give the victory speech he and his campaign hoped he would deliver on Friday night .
Instead , he once again urged Americans to remain patient as the final votes are counted .
And again , he expressed confidence that he will become the country ’ s next president , but did not declare victory .
“ We don ’ t have a final declaration , a victory yet , ” Biden said indoors at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where hundreds of supporters gathered outside .
“ We ’ re going to win this race with a clear majority of the nation behind us.
” Biden said the 74 million votes is more than any ticket in history .
“ The people spoke loudly for our ticket , ” Biden said .
2020 ELECTION : Biden says it is 'clear ' he will clinch needed electoral votes , win presidency As of Saturday morning , the races in Nevada , Pennsylvania and Georgia were still too close to call , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all three .
The former vice president would just need one of these states to win the White House , while Trump would need to win all three and North Carolina , where he is leading .
“ We have to remain calm , patient , as we count all the votes , ” Biden said .
He later said : “ We don ’ t have any more time to waste on partisan warfare.
” In the tense days since the election , Americans have had to wait for millions of mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of which are skewing toward Biden .
The Trump campaign has said the president does not plan to concede .
Trump has made repeated false claims about the state of the election , and he and his campaign have lodged legal challenges in several states .
In some cases , judges have already dismissed the cases .
'MEAT ON THE BONE : ' How Joe Biden changed Delaware politics Just outside the convention center , supporters gathered with the hopes of hearing Biden speak , some camping out since election night Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions from reporters , said he was confident he would win Georgia and Pennsylvania , propelling him to more than 300 electoral college delegates .
“ We ’ re proving again what we proved for 244 years in this country , democracy works .
Your vote will be counted .
I don ’ t care how hard people try to stop it .
I will not let it happen.
” “ The people will be heard , ” he said .
In the hours leading up to Biden ’ s remarks , almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like the Democratic National Convention and election night drive-in rally , this event was not open to the public .
Yet there was still a sense of excitement , especially among Kelly Callahan 's group .
She , mother Marie and their friends , Eileen Ford and Laura Leone , sat in the bed of a pickup truck , clad in masks .
Kelly , a Wilmington resident who has worked in Delaware politics in the past , had been in the parking lot all four nights .
She arrived at 9:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the others .
“ I ’ m waiting for that moment in history , '' said Kelly , who was wearing a mask with Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s face on it .
“ Delaware ’ s first president and the first female VP in the United States .
`` When history happens in your backyard , you don ’ t miss it.
” The women were listening to MSNBC on the radio and paused at one point to hear the latest update with results from Nevada .
They were very optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden , Kelly said , is the “ perfect person for the right time ” in this country .
In a sea of Biden supporters , former Delaware U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke , who was defeated by Chris Coons this week , arrived with more than a dozen Trump supporters around 7:45 p.m .
The crowd outside the security gates at the Chase Center was diverse in age and race .
Among the younger people in the crowd was 16-year-old West Chester , Pennsylvania , resident Arianna , who spent much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACLU sending text messages to potential voters .
“ I ’ m very excited , ” she said .
“ We couldn ’ t miss it.
” “ It ’ s history , ” said her father , Matt .
“ It ’ s a critical time for our country .
But I wanted her to see the fruits of the labor .
You put the work in and you get down to a couple of votes .
You lose sight of that with these millions of votes.
” The father and daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They were hoping for a victory speech but didn ’ t expect one .
“ This will be done when it ’ s done , ” Matt said .
“ There will be a day when we ’ re there and we can celebrate .
Today is not the day , but we ’ ll find our way there .
This is a good step .
I feel better than I did Tuesday night .
”

Joe Biden urges patience, unity as he waits with the rest of America
Show Caption Hide Caption 2020 election: Biden calls for unity as votes continue to be counted Biden calls for unity during his speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Votes are still being counted in states across the country. USA TODAY
Joe Biden — like the rest of America — is still waiting.
Despite being on the cusp of the presidency, Biden did not give the victory speech he and his campaign hoped he would deliver on Friday night. Instead, he once again urged Americans to remain patient as the final votes are counted.
And again, he expressed confidence that he will become the country’s next president, but did not declare victory.
“We don’t have a final declaration, a victory yet,” Biden said indoors at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, where hundreds of supporters gathered outside. “We’re going to win this race with a clear majority of the nation behind us.”
Biden said the 74 million votes is more than any ticket in history.
“The people spoke loudly for our ticket,” Biden said.
2020 ELECTION: Biden says it is 'clear' he will clinch needed electoral votes, win presidency
As of Saturday morning, the races in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia were still too close to call, though Biden was leading President Donald Trump in all three. The former vice president would just need one of these states to win the White House, while Trump would need to win all three and North Carolina, where he is leading.
“We have to remain calm, patient, as we count all the votes,” Biden said.
He later said: “We don’t have any more time to waste on partisan warfare.”
In the tense days since the election, Americans have had to wait for millions of mail-in ballots to be counted, a vast majority of which are skewing toward Biden.
The Trump campaign has said the president does not plan to concede. Trump has made repeated false claims about the state of the election, and he and his campaign have lodged legal challenges in several states. In some cases, judges have already dismissed the cases.
'MEAT ON THE BONE:' How Joe Biden changed Delaware politics
Just outside the convention center, supporters gathered with the hopes of hearing Biden speak, some camping out since election night Tuesday.
Biden, who did not answer questions from reporters, said he was confident he would win Georgia and Pennsylvania, propelling him to more than 300 electoral college delegates.
“We’re proving again what we proved for 244 years in this country, democracy works. Your vote will be counted. I don’t care how hard people try to stop it. I will not let it happen.”
“The people will be heard,” he said.
Election 2020: Biden says record number of Americans 'chose change' Joe Biden spoke to his supporters in Wilmington, Delaware about how Americans "want the country to come together and not be pulled apart." USA TODAY
In the hours leading up to Biden’s remarks, almost 1,000 people gathered near the Riverfront. Like the Democratic National Convention and election night drive-in rally, this event was not open to the public.
Yet there was still a sense of excitement, especially among Kelly Callahan's group. She, mother Marie and their friends, Eileen Ford and Laura Leone, sat in the bed of a pickup truck, clad in masks.
Kelly, a Wilmington resident who has worked in Delaware politics in the past, had been in the parking lot all four nights. She arrived at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Friday was the third night for the others.
“I’m waiting for that moment in history," said Kelly, who was wearing a mask with Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s face on it. “Delaware’s first president and the first female VP in the United States.
"When history happens in your backyard, you don’t miss it.”
The women were listening to MSNBC on the radio and paused at one point to hear the latest update with results from Nevada. They were very optimistic that Biden will soon become the president-elect.
“More optimistic than Tuesday night,” Ford said.
Biden, Kelly said, is the “perfect person for the right time” in this country.
In a sea of Biden supporters, former Delaware U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke, who was defeated by Chris Coons this week, arrived with more than a dozen Trump supporters around 7:45 p.m.
The crowd outside the security gates at the Chase Center was diverse in age and race.
Among the younger people in the crowd was 16-year-old West Chester, Pennsylvania, resident Arianna, who spent much of the election season volunteering for the ACLU sending text messages to potential voters.
MAN OF FAITH: How Biden's faith shapes his politics
“I’m very excited,” she said. “We couldn’t miss it.”
“It’s history,” said her father, Matt. “It’s a critical time for our country. But I wanted her to see the fruits of the labor. You put the work in and you get down to a couple of votes. You lose sight of that with these millions of votes.”
The father and daughter were cautiously optimistic about the results. They were hoping for a victory speech but didn’t expect one.
“This will be done when it’s done,” Matt said.
“There will be a day when we’re there and we can celebrate. Today is not the day, but we’ll find our way there. This is a good step. I feel better than I did Tuesday night.”
They planned on returning Saturday.


usatoday--2020-11-07--Coronavirus updates: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has virus; daily infections soar to rec

As the wait for election results drags on and new daily coronavirus cases continue to set records , states are beginning to dip back into an area that proved successful — but difficult to enforce — in the spring : curfews .
Massachusetts started Friday night , asking all residents to remain home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless they were traveling for work or school .
Violators in that state can be arrested .
Denver will follow suit , with a `` Home at 10 '' order that begins Sunday and is in effect until Dec. 7 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , said he 's dubious curfews will do much to curb infections .
`` Curtailing the evening for dining by an hour or so is n't likely to make a very large impact , '' said Hanage .
`` I ca n't think of a single place where further action was not necessary . ''
• Mark Meadows , President Donald Trump 's chief of staff , has the coronavirus , according to reports on Friday .
It was n't clear when Meadows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News that Meadows informed a group of advisers of his diagnosis after Election Day .
• Ten days after claiming their first World Series since 1988 , five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization have tested positive .
• Illinois Gov .
JB Pritzker was in isolation after his office was notified Friday of a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 , the office said in a news release .
• And Rachel Maddow did not appear on MSNBC on Friday night after a close contact tested positive for COVID-19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though she has tested negative for the disease , she will still be quarantining at home to make sure she does not put anyone else at risk .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has reported more than 9.7 million cases and more than 236,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The global totals : more than 49.4 million cases and 1.2 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Briefing newsletter .
North Denmark in lockdown over mutated virus in mink farms More than a quarter million Danes went into lockdown Friday in a northern region of the country where a mutated variation of the coronavirus has infected minks being farmed for their fur , leading to an order to kill millions of the animals .
Meanwhile , Britain on Friday said people coming from Denmark must self-isolate for 14 days , adding the country to a list of countries it deems risky .
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it came two days after the government ordered the cull of all 15 million minks bred at Denmark ’ s 1,139 mink farms .
The coronavirus evolves constantly and , to date , there is no evidence that any of the mutations pose an increased danger to people .
But Danish authorities were not taking any chances .
Last month , Denmark started culling millions of minks in the north of the country after COVID-19 infections were reported among the stock there .
Nationwide , at least 216 out of the 1,139 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected .
What would a Biden presidency mean for another stimulus package ?
Former Vice President Joe Biden has voiced support for a robust relief measure that includes another federal bonus to weekly unemployment benefits , more aid for struggling small businesses and financially distressed states , and another round of stimulus checks to most households .
The big question : Which party has the majority in the Senate ?
Last month , the Democratic House passed a $ 2.2 trillion package while the Republican Senate has favored a $ 500 billion plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely would approve a $ 1.5 trillion stimulus , possibly late this year , according to Moody ’ s Analytics and Oxford Economics .
If the Democrats wrest control , Zandi expects a $ 2 trillion package that could match the $ 600 jobless aid provided to unemployed Americans earlier this year instead of a reduced amount .
But economist Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics believes even a Democratic Senate would opt for a $ 1.5 trillion measure to preserve space for other spending initiatives .
Read more here .
States expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those changes stick ?
The popularity of mail-in voting this election could put pressure on state lawmakers to make many COVID-19 changes permanent .
“ Election officials , lawmakers and voters have really changed the way they think about voting in a lot of places around the country , ” said Sean Morales-Doyle , deputy director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice , a voting rights group at New York University Law School .
“ There were a lot of voters that never had the option ( before this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think they were encouraged .
It will change people ’ s perspectives and demand on lawmakers.
” Voters of both parties , Morales-Doyle said , benefited from having more options to cast their ballots .
Imagine the polling place lines , he said , if most voters this year instead had to vote on Election Day while also abiding by social distancing rules .
The lines “ would have been amazingly long.
” But some local election officials have expressed frustration with what they say is a lack of clarity in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to overturn a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to extend the mail-in ballot deadline .
However , the U.S. Supreme Court still could act related to the case .
Read more here .
US sees daily cases soar over 100,000 – again For the third day in a row , America set records for cases reported in a day , and all three days recorded more than 100,000 new infections .
Through Friday , Johns Hopkins data shows , America reported 126,480 cases per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 88 Americans testing positive , on average , every minute .
Every day since Oct. 25 , America has set a record for cases reported in a week .
Now we 're at 689,538 .
Most American states again set case records : A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Friday shows 26 states set records for new cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week .
New case records were set in Arkansas , Colorado , Idaho , Illinois , Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New Mexico , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , Utah , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin and Wyoming .
Record numbers of deaths were reported in Iowa , North Dakota , South Dakota , Utah and Wisconsin .
President Donald Trump 's chief of staff , Mark Meadows , has the coronavirus , according to reports on Friday .
It was n't clear when he tested positive , but sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group of advisers of his diagnosis after Election Day .
His positive test comes a month after Trump 's own bout with the virus , which saw him hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early October .
In the wake of Trump 's diagnosis , several White House aides also tested positive for the virus , including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former counselor Kellyanne Conway .
Melania and Barron Trump also were positive .
ABC News and CNN have also confirmed Meadows has the virus .
Five members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 Five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and a family member have tested positive for COVID-19 , according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .
The disclosure comes 10 days after Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was notified during Game 6 of the World Series that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
It is unclear if Turner or any other players are among the five people .
According to a person with knowledge of the situation , most of the people who tested positive were outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Arlington , Texas .
The person requested anonymity because of privacy issues .
`` The Dodgers organization continues to work with us during this ongoing outbreak investigation , ’ ’ the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Friday in a statement to USA TODAY Sports .
The news broke just hours after Major League Baseball accepted part of the blame for Turner ’ s actions during the World Series celebration when he returned to the field after his positive COVID-19 test , saying there was miscommunication , and determined that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shown on the field hugging teammates , kissing his wife , holding the World Series trophy , and posing for team pictures with his mask off , sitting next to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts , a cancer survivor .
Nevada state prison has 100 positive cases , goes on lockdown State prison officials have ordered a lockdown at a medium-security facility in northern Nevada after 93 inmates and seven staff members tested positive for the coronavirus .
The Nevada Department of Corrections said Friday that additional sanitation measures have been deployed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units during the lockdown at the Warm Springs Correctional Center in Carson City .
Department Director Charles Daniels said the remainder of the facility ’ s 525 offenders and all staff would be tested again Friday and Saturday .
He didn ’ t disclose when the positive results were confirmed .
Employees routinely are tested every two weeks and offenders every three weeks .
Massachusetts residents will be breaking law if out during curfew Starting Friday night , Massachusetts residents will be breaking the law if they 're out between 10 p.m. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to or from work or school .
The curfew is the latest effort to stem the growing COVID-19 outbreak in the state , which was hard-hit in the spring but enjoyed a low infection rate in the summer and early fall .
In the last week , the state , which had around 200 cases a day for most of the summer , has routinely seen daily caseloads above 1,200 .
And it 's likely to get worse .
The move is aimed at closing restaurants and bars earlier in the night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careless about COVID-19 safeguards .
But it remains to be seen whether criminalizing such everyday activities as a late-night stroll is a good idea – or will have any effect on the virus case count .
William Hanage , an epidemiologist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , said he 's dubious curfews will do much to curb infections .
`` Curtailing the evening for dining by an hour or so is n't likely to make a very large impact , '' said Hanage .
`` I ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action was not necessary . ''
In a similar effort , Denver announced Friday it will begin a nightly `` Home By 10 '' order , requiring residents to remain in their homes from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m .
The order goes into effect Sunday and runs until Dec. 7 .
It will be temporarily suspended on Thanksgiving Day .
Unless traveling to and from work or for an essential business allowed to be open during those hours , residents must remain home and can not congregate with anyone outside of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising , with Denver ’ s seven-day moving average of new cases at 419 on Thursday , up from 290 on Oct. 29 .
Some grocery store chains are bringing back limits on purchasing certain items including toilet paper as COVID-19 cases spike in the U.S .
In a statement to USA TODAY , Kroger said they have `` proactively and temporarily set purchase limits to two per customer '' on items including toilet paper , paper towels , disinfecting wipes and hand soap .
The limits went into effect around Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have reimposed limits in recent days include H-E-B and the Giant Company .
Wegmans said it has had limits on purchasing toilet paper and paper towels since May and will continue to maintain them .
When the coronavirus pandemic first upended the lives of Americans in March , consumers rushed to stores to stockpile products such as toilet paper , paper towels and disinfecting wipes .
In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .
On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .

Coronavirus updates: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has virus; daily infections soar to record levels; states resurface curfews
Show Caption Hide Caption Ben Carson adds to the list of Trump's circle positive for COVID-19 Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson adds to the running list of people who tested positive for COVID-19 since the president's diagnosis. USA TODAY
States are beginning to dip back into an area that proved successful — but difficult to enforce — in the spring: curfews.
Massachusetts started Friday night, asking all residents to remain home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless they were traveling for work or school. Violators in that state can be arrested. Denver will follow suit, with a "Home at 10" order that begins Sunday and is in effect until Dec. 7.
Meanwhile, William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, said he's dubious curfews will do much to curb infections. "Curtailing the evening for dining by an hour or so isn't likely to make a very large impact," said Hanage. "I can't think of a single place where further action was not necessary."
Here's the latest headlines Saturday:
Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump's chief of staff, and campaign official Nick Trainer also tested positive for the virus, according to media reports.
President Donald Trump's chief of staff, and campaign official Nick Trainer also tested positive for the virus, according to media reports. Ten days after claiming their first World Series since 1988, five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization have tested positive.
organization have tested positive. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has tested negative for COVID-19 twice this week, his office announced Saturday. Pritzker had been in isolation after his office was notified Friday of a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19.
has tested negative for COVID-19 twice this week, his office announced Saturday. Pritzker had been in isolation after his office was notified Friday of a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19. And Rachel Maddow did not appear on MSNBC on Friday night after a close contact tested positive for COVID-19. The liberal pundit announced on Twitter that, though she has tested negative for the disease, she will still be quarantining at home to make sure she does not put anyone else at risk.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.8 million cases and more than 236,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: more than 49.6 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has the coronavirus, according to reports Friday. It wasn't clear when he tested positive, but sources told Bloomberg News that Meadows informed a group of advisers of his diagnosis after Election Day.
ABC News and CNN have also confirmed Meadows has the virus. Campaign official Nick Trainer also tested positive for the virus, according to The Wall Street Journal and NBC News.
His positive test comes a month after Trump's own bout with the virus, which saw him hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early October. In the wake of Trump's diagnosis, several White House aides also tested positive for the virus, including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former counselor Kellyanne Conway. Melania and Barron Trump also were positive.
At least five aides to Vice President Mike Pence, including his chief of staff Marc Short, tested positive last month as well, according to reports.
– Jeanine Santucci
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told USA TODAY on Saturday morning that he has tested “positive for antibodies," indicating that he had the virus at one point.
He said he has no plans to quarantine and does not know where he picked up the antibodies. “No symptoms. Feel great. Going paddle boarding today,” he told USA TODAY in a text message.
In March, Gaetz was accused of making light of the coronavirus outbreak when he wore a gas mask in Congress after one of his constituents died from COVID-19.
“Made light?!?! I was quite serious," the Florida Republican tweeted in response to a Washington Post headline that claimed he had been doing exactly that. "The threat to Congress is real, as I explained based on travel and habits like selfies and handshakes.”
– Ledyard King
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and staff who attended a meeting Monday where they were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 have tested negative, the governor's office said in a statement Saturday.
The office conducted PCR tests Friday afternoon – the second negative test result for the governor and staff after they underwent their weekly test on Wednesday, the office said.
The governor and staff who attended the meeting were not considered close contacts because they met with the person who was infected prior to 48 hours before symptom onset, and per CDC guidance, will not be required to quarantine.
Illinois, meanwhile, reported more than 12,000 new daily cases Saturday – the same week the state broke 10,000 daily cases for the first time.
– Grace Hauck
For the third day in a row, America set records for cases reported in a day, and all three days recorded more than 100,000 new infections. Through Friday, Johns Hopkins data shows, America reported 126,480 cases per day. That works out to about 88 Americans testing positive, on average, every minute.
Every day since Oct. 25, America has set a record for cases reported in a week. Now we're at 689,538.
Most American states again set case records: A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Friday shows 26 states set records for new cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week.
New case records were set in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Record numbers of deaths were reported in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin.
– Mike Stucka
States with more coronavirus cases in the week ending Friday than week before: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY.
Lower cases: TN
Source: @USATODAY of @JohnsHopkins — Mike Stucka (@MikeStucka) November 7, 2020
More than a quarter million Danes went into lockdown Friday in a northern region of the country where a mutated variation of the coronavirus has infected minks being farmed for their fur, leading to an order to kill millions of the animals. Meanwhile, Britain on Friday said people coming from Denmark must self-isolate for 14 days, adding the country to a list of nations it deems risky.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the move was meant to contain the virus, and it came two days after the government ordered the cull of all 15 million minks bred at Denmark’s 1,139 mink farms. The coronavirus evolves constantly and, to date, there is no evidence that any of the mutations pose an increased danger to people. But Danish authorities were not taking any chances.
Last month, Denmark started culling millions of minks in the north of the country after COVID-19 infections were reported among the stock there. Nationwide, at least 216 out of the 1,139 fur farms in Denmark have now been infected.
– Associated Press
President-elect Joe Biden has voiced support for a robust relief measure that includes another federal bonus to weekly unemployment benefits, more aid for struggling small businesses and financially distressed states, and another round of stimulus checks to most households.
The big question: Which party has the majority in the Senate? Last month, the Democratic House passed a $2.2 trillion package while the Republican Senate has favored a $500 billion plan.
If Republicans keep control, lawmakers likely would approve a $1.5 trillion stimulus, possibly late this year, according to Moody’s Analytics and Oxford Economics. If the Democrats wrest control, Mark Zandi of Moody's expects a $2 trillion package that could match the $600 jobless aid provided to unemployed Americans earlier this year instead of a reduced amount.
But economist Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics believes even a Democratic Senate would opt for a $1.5 trillion measure to preserve space for other spending initiatives. Read more here.
– Paul Davidson
The popularity of mail-in voting this election could put pressure on state lawmakers to make many COVID-19 changes permanent.
“Election officials, lawmakers and voters have really changed the way they think about voting in a lot of places around the country,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, deputy director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a voting rights group at New York University Law School.
“There were a lot of voters that never had the option (before this year) to mail in ballots and I think they were encouraged. It will change people’s perspectives and demand on lawmakers.”
Voters of both parties, Morales-Doyle said, benefited from having more options to cast their ballots. Imagine the polling place lines, he said, if most voters this year instead had to vote on Election Day while also abiding by social distancing rules. The lines “would have been amazingly long.”
But some local election officials have expressed frustration with what they say is a lack of clarity in voting laws that make the counting process longer. The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to overturn a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to extend the mail-in ballot deadline. However, the U.S. Supreme Court still could act related to the case. Read more here.
– Matt Vasilogambros and Lindsey Van Ness, Stateline
Five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and a family member have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The disclosure comes 10 days after Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was notified during Game 6 of the World Series that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
It is unclear if Turner or any other players are among the five people. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, most of the people who tested positive were outside the so-called bubble at the World Series in Arlington, Texas. The person requested anonymity because of privacy issues.
"The Dodgers organization continues to work with us during this ongoing outbreak investigation,’’ the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Friday in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.
The news broke just hours after Major League Baseball accepted part of the blame for Turner’s actions during the World Series celebration when he returned to the field after his positive COVID-19 test, saying there was miscommunication, and determined that he will not be disciplined.
He was shown on the field hugging teammates, kissing his wife, holding the World Series trophy, and posing for team pictures with his mask off, sitting next to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a cancer survivor.
— Bob Nightengale and Josh Peter
State prison officials have ordered a lockdown at a medium-security facility in northern Nevada after 93 inmates and seven staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Nevada Department of Corrections said Friday that additional sanitation measures have been deployed and all meals are being delivered to individual units during the lockdown at the Warm Springs Correctional Center in Carson City.
Department Director Charles Daniels said the remainder of the facility’s 525 offenders and all staff would be tested again Friday and Saturday.
He didn’t disclose when the positive results were confirmed. Employees routinely are tested every two weeks and offenders every three weeks.
Starting Friday night, Massachusetts residents will be breaking the law if they're out between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., unless on the way to or from work or school. The state was hard-hit in the spring but enjoyed a low infection rate in the summer and early fall. But in the last week, has routinely seen daily caseloads above 1,200. And it's likely to get worse.
The move is aimed at closing restaurants and bars earlier in the night, before people lose their inhibitions and get careless about COVID-19 safeguards. But it remains to be seen whether criminalizing such everyday activities as a late-night stroll is a good idea – or will have any effect on the virus case count.
In a similar effort, Denver announced Friday it will begin a nightly "Home By 10" order, requiring residents to remain in their homes from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. The order goes into effect Sunday and runs until Dec. 7. It will be temporarily suspended on Thanksgiving Day.
Infection rates and hospitalizations are rising, with Denver’s seven-day moving average of new cases at 419 on Thursday, up from 290 on Oct. 29.
— Karen Weintraub
How to get a free COVID-19 antibody test If you are wondering whether you have had COVID-19, now you can find out for free by donating blood with the American Red Cross. Buzz60
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
In your inbox: Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
On Facebook: A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-07--When was the longest election in modern US history? And could 2020 take even longer?

WASHINGTON – 35 days .
That ’ s how long it took — from the ballot boxes to Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore conceding the election — for voters to know who won the 2000 presidential election .
The 2000 election is the longest in contemporary American history in terms of `` elapsed time in days , '' Michael W. Traugott , a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan , told USA TODAY .
“ Generally speaking , this does n't occur very often — fortunately , ” he said , referring to long , drawn-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special case : It was marred by plenty of logistical voting issues , including a faulty ballot design , allegations of miscounts and court debates , starting on Election Day 2000 , Nov. 7 .
Not only did the Gore campaign 's request for a manual recount slow things down due to the efficiency ( or lack thereof ) of hand-counting ballots , said Matthew Schmidt , an associate professor of national security at the University of New Haven , the request was also contested by the Bush campaign despite approval from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court , which overturned the Florida Supreme Court ’ s ruling to conduct a manual recount due to it violating the Equal Protection Clause .
The court also determined in a controversial 5-4 ruling that the Gore campaign had run out of time to propose any new recount plans due to the “ safe harbor ” clause in the United States Code .
That meant that the case ended Dec. 12 , exactly five weeks after Election Day 2000 .
It still remains a contentious election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a difference of 537 votes .
Could the 2020 election take as long as 2000 ?
The chances are slim , but the possibility is always there .
“ It would have to depend on the viability of the lawsuits that the Trump campaign is filing , ” Traugott explained to USA TODAY .
So far , the Trump campaign has filed court actions in many of the swing states the nation has watched breathlessly in the past few days , including Georgia , Michigan and Pennsylvania .
Those cases have been thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop vote-counting in Michigan , Pennsylvania ; claims late ballots mixed with others in Georgia “ Most of them seem to be without merit , he said , “ but it would only take one to engage the state and federal courts to push out the calendar.
” Schmidt said the Trump campaign would have to show `` material evidence '' of any wrongdoing in terms of ballot counting .
`` You can ’ t just suppose or assume voter fraud somewhere , '' Schmidt said .
`` You have to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bar , he said , especially due to the `` extraordinary conditions '' caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on voters .
Multiple state officials have criticized the Trump campaign 's assorted voting count challenges .
Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf described attempts to stop the counting of votes as “ simply wrong.
” “ It goes against the most basic principles of our democracy , ” Wolf said .
“ I ’ m going to fight like hell to protect to the vote of every Pennsylvanian.
” Elsewhere , Arizona 's Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no `` legal pathway '' to challenge the state 's votes , which are leaning toward Biden .

When was the longest election in modern US history? And could 2020 take even longer?
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Thirty-five days. That’s how long it took — from the ballot boxes to Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore conceding the election — for voters to know who won the 2000 presidential election.
The 2000 election is the longest in contemporary American history in terms of "elapsed time in days," Michael W. Traugott, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan, told USA TODAY.
“Generally speaking, this doesn't occur very often — fortunately,” he said, referring to long, drawn-out election processes.
But 2000 was a special case: It was marred by plenty of logistical voting issues, including a faulty ballot design, allegations of miscounts and court debates, starting on Election Day 2000, Nov. 7.
Not only did the Gore campaign's request for a manual recount slow things down due to the efficiency (or lack thereof) of hand-counting ballots, said Matthew Schmidt, an associate professor of national security at the University of New Haven, the request was also contested by the Bush campaign despite approval from the Florida Supreme Court.
Remember 'hanging chads'?: Here's a look back at America's contested elections.
The case made its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling to conduct a manual recount due to it violating the Equal Protection Clause.
The court also determined in a controversial 5-4 ruling that the Gore campaign had run out of time to propose any new recount plans due to the “safe harbor” clause in the United States Code. That meant that the case ended Dec. 12, exactly five weeks after Election Day 2000.
It still remains a contentious election, to this day — determined by a difference of 537 votes.
Could the 2020 election take as long as 2000?
The chances are slim, but the possibility is always there.
“It would have to depend on the viability of the lawsuits that the Trump campaign is filing,” Traugott explained to USA TODAY.
So far, the Trump campaign has filed court actions in many of the swing states the nation has watched breathlessly in the past few days, including Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Those cases have been thrown out.
Election 2020: Trump sues to stop vote-counting in Michigan, Pennsylvania; claims late ballots mixed with others in Georgia
“Most of them seem to be without merit, he said, “but it would only take one to engage the state and federal courts to push out the calendar.”
Schmidt said the Trump campaign would have to show "material evidence" of any wrongdoing in terms of ballot counting.
"You can’t just suppose or assume voter fraud somewhere," Schmidt said. "You have to show it." That's a high bar, he said, especially due to the "extraordinary conditions" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on voters.
Multiple state officials have criticized the Trump campaign's assorted voting count challenges.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf described attempts to stop the counting of votes as “simply wrong.”
“It goes against the most basic principles of our democracy,” Wolf said. “I’m going to fight like hell to protect to the vote of every Pennsylvanian.”
Elsewhere, Arizona's Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said that Trump has no "legal pathway" to challenge the state's votes, which are leaning toward Biden.
Contributing: Dave Boucher, Kevin McCoy, Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY Network.
Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote.


usatoday--2020-11-06--Fact check: Viral video shows Pennsylvania poll workers fixing damaged ballots

The claim : Video of election workers filling out blank ballots in Delaware County is voter fraud In the aftermath of Election Day , social media has been flooded with unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud and conspiracy theories that target battleground states .
Pennsylvania has become the epicenter of online misinformation .
A 54-second video clip purporting to show election staff filling out blank ballots in Delaware County and alleging fraud has gone viral on social media .
`` This lady is marking the ballots .
I filmed her a half hour ago doing six and she 's still working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video says , claiming that the `` cops are in on it . ''
`` Voter Fraud this lady has been at it an hour .
Pennsylvania camera number 7 , '' wrote one user who shared the video on Facebook .
A user on Twitter wrote , `` This election official has been stamping and filling in blank ballots for an hour .
To note , she selected all Democrat .
Location : Delaware county Pennsylvania . ''
Similar versions of the video , captured from an authentic livestream of election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared .
The claim gained traction when Charlie Kirk , founder of Turning Point USA , shared the video on his livestream after it was sent in by a viewer .
`` A woman filling in ballots for an entire hour , filling in ballots ! ''
Kirk said during the Charlie Kirk Show on Nov. 5 .
`` Now the only excuse would be , is she filling them in more where they already had bubbles filled in ? ''
USA TODAY reached out to Kirk and the Facebook users for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading about Election Day .
We fact checked viral ones and found false claims .
The viral video is genuine footage from a livestream of ballot counting .
However , in some cases the video has been manipulated by zooming in to eliminate surrounding areas .
Adrienne Marofsky , public relations director for Delaware County , Pennsylvania , told USA TODAY that the video crops out bipartisan observers who were not more than 6 feet away .
`` The cropped video portrays an election worker , seemingly alone at a table , marking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election worker at a table with other coworkers in a room full of people with bipartisan observers a few feet away at each end of the table , closely observing the worker from approximately 6 feet away , '' Marofsky said in an email .
She said the arrangement was agreed upon between the Election Bureau and the former Republican chairman of Delaware County Council .
What counters in the video are actually doing is fixing damaged ballots .
Marofsky said that during ballot processing , a machine extractor opens the ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extractor and unable to be scanned successfully , she said .
`` According to the scanner manufacturer , Hart , the best practice to deal with damaged ballots that can not be scanned is to transcribe the votes on each ballot to a clean ballot and scan the clean ballot , '' she said .
The chief clerk of the Delaware County Bureau of Elections then instructed elections staff to manually transcribe the damaged ballots .
The damaged ballots were directly next to the new ballots , and damaged ballots were preserved while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marofsky .
Pennsylvania 's Election Code states that , `` If any ballots or district totals cards are damaged or defective so that they can not properly be counted by the central automatic tabulating equipment , a true duplicate copy shall be made and substituted for any such damaged ballot or card . ''
All ballots of this sort are labeled as `` duplicate '' and contain a serial number that is documented on the damaged or defective ballot .
Marofsky said the video `` baselessly and wrongly attacks the integrity of election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which votes are being counted in Delaware County . ''
This video of elections staff filling out blank ballots is not evidence of voter fraud .
County officials confirmed that workers were fixing damaged ballots and the video has been manipulated to crop out bipartisan observers who witnessed the process .
The damaged ballots have been preserved , and Pennsylvania 's Election Code states damaged ballots must be duplicated .
We rate this claim as FALSE as it is not supported by our research .
Thank you for supporting our journalism .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here .
Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook .
This fact check is available at IFCN ’ s 2020 US Elections FactChat # Chatbot on WhatsApp .
Click here , for more .

Fact check: Viral video shows Pennsylvania poll workers fixing damaged ballots
Show Caption Hide Caption Pa. on counting ballots: 'the closer the race is, the longer it takes' Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar insists her 67 counties are taking their time to thoroughly count ballots as the race narrows. USA TODAY
The claim: Video of election workers filling out blank ballots in Delaware County is voter fraud
In the aftermath of Election Day, social media has been flooded with unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud and conspiracy theories that target battleground states.
Pennsylvania has become the epicenter of online misinformation.
A 54-second video clip purporting to show election staff filling out blank ballots in Delaware County and alleging fraud has gone viral on social media. "This lady is marking the ballots. I filmed her a half hour ago doing six and she's still working at it," a man narrating the video says, claiming that the "cops are in on it."
"Voter Fraud this lady has been at it an hour. Pennsylvania camera number 7," wrote one user who shared the video on Facebook.
A user on Twitter wrote, "This election official has been stamping and filling in blank ballots for an hour. To note, she selected all Democrat. Location: Delaware county Pennsylvania."
Similar versions of the video, captured from an authentic livestream of election workers in Delaware County, were also shared.
The claim gained traction when Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, shared the video on his livestream after it was sent in by a viewer.
"A woman filling in ballots for an entire hour, filling in ballots!" Kirk said during the Charlie Kirk Show on Nov. 5. "Now the only excuse would be, is she filling them in more where they already had bubbles filled in?"
USA TODAY reached out to Kirk and the Facebook users for comment.
More: False claims have been spreading about Election Day. We fact checked viral ones and found false claims.
Video is manipulated, misleading
The viral video is genuine footage from a livestream of ballot counting. However, in some cases the video has been manipulated by zooming in to eliminate surrounding areas.
Adrienne Marofsky, public relations director for Delaware County, Pennsylvania, told USA TODAY that the video crops out bipartisan observers who were not more than 6 feet away.
"The cropped video portrays an election worker, seemingly alone at a table, marking a ballot. The actual video shows the election worker at a table with other coworkers in a room full of people with bipartisan observers a few feet away at each end of the table, closely observing the worker from approximately 6 feet away," Marofsky said in an email.
She said the arrangement was agreed upon between the Election Bureau and the former Republican chairman of Delaware County Council.
Election workers are not committing fraud
What counters in the video are actually doing is fixing damaged ballots.
Marofsky said that during ballot processing, a machine extractor opens the ballots. Some ballots were damaged by the extractor and unable to be scanned successfully, she said.
"According to the scanner manufacturer, Hart, the best practice to deal with damaged ballots that cannot be scanned is to transcribe the votes on each ballot to a clean ballot and scan the clean ballot," she said.
The chief clerk of the Delaware County Bureau of Elections then instructed elections staff to manually transcribe the damaged ballots.
The damaged ballots were directly next to the new ballots, and damaged ballots were preserved while bipartisan observers watched closely, according to Marofsky.
Pennsylvania's Election Code states that, "If any ballots or district totals cards are damaged or defective so that they cannot properly be counted by the central automatic tabulating equipment, a true duplicate copy shall be made and substituted for any such damaged ballot or card."
All ballots of this sort are labeled as "duplicate" and contain a serial number that is documented on the damaged or defective ballot.
Marofsky said the video "baselessly and wrongly attacks the integrity of election staff and the completely transparent process by which votes are being counted in Delaware County."
Our rating: False
This video of elections staff filling out blank ballots is not evidence of voter fraud. County officials confirmed that workers were fixing damaged ballots and the video has been manipulated to crop out bipartisan observers who witnessed the process. The damaged ballots have been preserved, and Pennsylvania's Election Code states damaged ballots must be duplicated. We rate this claim as FALSE as it is not supported by our research.
Our fact-check sources:
Adrienne Marofsky, public relations director for Delaware County, email to USA TODAY
Pennsylvania Election Code
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
This fact check is available at IFCN’s 2020 US Elections FactChat #Chatbot on WhatsApp. Click here, for more.


usatoday--2020-11-07--Elon Musk aims to make fast satellite internet with Starlink, but will it be worth it?

QUESTION : I ’ ve tried satellite internet in the past in my RV and it was terrible , so will Starlink be any better and worth considering ?
ANSWER : If you live in an underserved rural area or travel in an RV to areas with no cell signal , satellite internet has been an expensive , low-performance option that some use out of necessity .
Typical satellite internet services offer slow speeds and high-latency because of the limitations of traditional satellite networks that are far away from the earth .
Elon Musk aims to change all that with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort by SpaceX to create a whole new option for high-speed internet access anywhere in the world with the goal to offer service comparable to mid to high-speed options that exist in most urban and suburban areas .
Starlink 's key difference is that it will be utilizing thousands of low-orbit small table-size satellites , which will provide faster transmission rates over the older high-orbit satellite networks .
Instead of orbiting at over 22,000 miles above the earth , Starlink will be orbiting at 340 miles .
Election 2020 : Misinformation , fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the democratic process The high-orbit HughesNet has a maximum speed of 25 megabits per second in perfect conditions with the more likely speeds being almost half of that , while Starlink is touting their initial speeds will be between 50-150 Mbps when it becomes available .
Initial reports from those that have been able to test the service suggest that both download and upload speeds were significantly better than existing options .
The more important spec being publicized is their much lower latency of 20-40 millisecond vs. the typical 500-700 milliseconds from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a measurement of the response time when making a request on the internet — the lower , the better .
It has as much to do with how fast things load as high download speeds .
Think of low latency as fewer stoplights on a trip through town .
Driving a 200 mph Ferrari that has to constantly stop at stoplights will take longer than a smart car that takes an alternative route with far fewer stoplights .
The eventual goal is to have a large enough number of satellites to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What will it cost ?
The initial monthly rate for the service is going to be $ 99 with the additional one-time cost for the hardware kit of $ 499 , which consists of the satellite terminal , a mounting tripod and a Wi-Fi router .
Starlink is calling their current phase the `` Better Than Nothing Beta '' test to try to manage expectations of their service that could include ‘ brief periods of no connectivity at all ’ .
One of the parameters of service that hasn ’ t been confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cap like the other satellite providers employ .
As with any new technology , waiting until things settle in allows you to avoid the aggravation associated with using ‘ bleeding edge ’ technology as it works out the kinks , but it ’ s understandable why this technology is creating a lot of buzz for those that live full-time in RVs .
If you want to stay up to date with their progress as well as areas of availability , you can sign up for email updates at starlink.com .
Ken Colburn is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services , datadoctors.com .
Ask any tech question at facebook.com/DataDoctors or on Twitter @ TheDataDoc .

Elon Musk aims to make fast satellite internet with Starlink, but will it be worth it?
QUESTION: I’ve tried satellite internet in the past in my RV and it was terrible. Will Starlink be any better and worth considering?
ANSWER: If you live in an underserved rural area or travel in an RV to areas with no cell signal, satellite internet has been an expensive, low-performance option that some use out of necessity.
Typical satellite internet services offer slow speeds and high-latency because of the limitations of traditional satellite networks that are far away from the earth.
Elon Musk aims to change all that with the Starlink network.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is an effort by SpaceX to create a whole new option for high-speed internet access anywhere in the world with the goal to offer service comparable to mid to high-speed options that exist in most urban and suburban areas.
Starlink's key difference is that it will be utilizing thousands of low-orbit small table-size satellites, which will provide faster transmission rates over the older high-orbit satellite networks.
Instead of orbiting at over 22,000 miles above Earth, Starlink will be orbiting at 340 miles.
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The high-orbit HughesNet has a maximum speed of 25 megabits per second in perfect conditions with the more likely speeds being almost half of that, while Starlink is touting their initial speeds will be between 50-150 Mbps when it becomes available.
Initial reports from those who have been able to test the service suggest that both download and upload speeds were significantly better than existing options.
The more important spec being publicized is their much lower latency of 20-40 millisecond vs. the typical 500-700 milliseconds from existing satellite internet services.
Latency is a measurement of the response time when making a request on the internet — the lower, the better. It has as much to do with how fast things load as high download speeds.
Think of low latency as fewer stoplights on a trip through town. Driving a 200 mph Ferrari that has to constantly stop at stoplights will take longer than a smart car that takes an alternative route with far fewer stoplights.
The eventual goal is to have a large enough number of satellites to create a mega-constellation that covers the entire globe.
What will it cost?
The initial monthly rate for the service is going to be $99 with the additional one-time cost for the hardware kit of $499, which consists of the satellite terminal, a mounting tripod and a Wi-Fi router.
Starlink is calling their current phase the "Better Than Nothing Beta" test to try to manage expectations of their service that could include ‘brief periods of no connectivity at all’.
One of the parameters of service that hasn’t been confirmed is whether there will be a data cap like the other satellite providers employ.
As with any new technology, waiting until things settle in allows you to avoid the aggravation associated with using ‘bleeding edge’ technology as it works out the kinks, but it’s understandable why this technology is creating a lot of buzz for those that live full-time in RVs.
If you want to stay up to date with their progress as well as areas of availability, you can sign up for email updates at starlink.com.
Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services, datadoctors.com. Ask any tech question at facebook.com/DataDoctors or on Twitter @TheDataDoc.