skynewsus--2020-11-06--Biden's lead grows in Pennsylvania - and so does the crowd of angry Trump supporters

The scene outside the counting hall in Philadelphia is a microcosm of a divided America .
On one side you have Joe Biden supporters celebrating and throwing a party - a DJ set up on the sidewalk surrounded by people dancing .
On the other you have devoted Donald Trump supporters feeling angry and robbed at what they view to be a stolen election .
Between the two sides is a line of police forming a barrier with their bicycles .
As Joe Biden 's lead grew in Pennsylvania , so did the crowd and tension outside the convention centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this and shops and businesses in the area are boarded up in anticipation of any unrest .
There 's such a big police presence here it 's unlikely things will kick off .
The National Guard are in town too protecting the City Hall .
But it 's a saddening moment to see American politics so polarised that people with opposing views need to be separated by police .
This is not a time for Democrats to gloat .
America is in desperate need of healing .
But it 's hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump 's supporters believe his every claim that illegal votes are the reason he is losing the election .
Walt was surrounded by `` stop the steal '' placards when I met him and asked if he could find it in himself to accept the result if the courts were to offer reassurance there had been no widespread fraud .
He said : `` Absolutely .
We live in a democracy but the key fact is there is corruption going on here .
There is .
`` So if we were guaranteed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how you 're going to do that with everything that is going on . ''
For as long as the president is alleging otherwise , it 's hard to see how there will be a resolution here .
We could have known the result in Pennsylvania before now had postal votes been allowed to be counted before Election Day .
Instead , on-the-day ballots had to be calculated first under state electoral rules which revealed a Trump lead .
That margin has evaporated in Pennsylvania as mail-in ballots were tabulated .
Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Donald Trump has used his early lead as an opportunity to cry foul and fraud .
The Trump campaign 's requests to discount postal votes by filing legal challenges in battleground states seem desperate attempts to delay the inevitable .
Donald Trump lost court rulings in three states just yesterday .
A small number of ballots are being called into question and they would be unlikely to make any material difference to Joe Biden 's current trajectory .
The more defining consequence of these legal disputes is an erosion of trust in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeated calls to `` Stop The Count '' may well have inspired two armed men to drive to Pennsylvania last night allegedly plotting to stop vote counters in the convention centre - both suspects are now in police custody .
Donald Trump 's time in the White House may soon be over - but to the bitter end he is sewing dangerous mistrust and division .
There will be no gracious concession speech .
Alleging the election has been stolen from him , a parting gift on a country battered and bruised after @ @ @ @

The scene outside the counting hall in Philadelphia is a microcosm of a divided America.
On one side you have Joe Biden supporters celebrating and throwing a party - a DJ set up on the sidewalk surrounded by people dancing.
On the other you have devoted Donald Trump supporters feeling angry and robbed at what they view to be a stolen election.
Between the two sides is a line of police forming a barrier with their bicycles.
US election 2020 live: Follow the latest updates
As Joe Biden's lead grew in Pennsylvania, so did the crowd and tension outside the convention centre in Philadelphia.
Police have been prepared for this and shops and businesses in the area are boarded up in anticipation of any unrest.
There's such a big police presence here it's unlikely things will kick off.
The National Guard are in town too protecting the City Hall.
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But it's a saddening moment to see American politics so polarised that people with opposing views need to be separated by police.
This is not a time for Democrats to gloat.
America is in desperate need of healing.
But it's hard to see how unity will be achieved when Donald Trump's supporters believe his every claim that illegal votes are the reason he is losing the election.
Walt was surrounded by "stop the steal" placards when I met him and asked if he could find it in himself to accept the result if the courts were to offer reassurance there had been no widespread fraud.
He said: "Absolutely. We live in a democracy but the key fact is there is corruption going on here. There is.
"So if we were guaranteed it was fair. I don't know how you're going to do that with everything that is going on."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:22 Trump 'needs to put his big boy pants on'
For as long as the president is alleging otherwise, it's hard to see how there will be a resolution here.
We could have known the result in Pennsylvania before now had postal votes been allowed to be counted before Election Day.
Instead, on-the-day ballots had to be calculated first under state electoral rules which revealed a Trump lead.
That margin has evaporated in Pennsylvania as mail-in ballots were tabulated.
Democrats were more likely to vote by mail but Donald Trump has used his early lead as an opportunity to cry foul and fraud.
The Trump campaign's requests to discount postal votes by filing legal challenges in battleground states seem desperate attempts to delay the inevitable.
Donald Trump lost court rulings in three states just yesterday.
A small number of ballots are being called into question and they would be unlikely to make any material difference to Joe Biden's current trajectory.
The more defining consequence of these legal disputes is an erosion of trust in America's democracy.
Donald Trump's repeated calls to "Stop The Count" may well have inspired two armed men to drive to Pennsylvania last night allegedly plotting to stop vote counters in the convention centre - both suspects are now in police custody.
Donald Trump's time in the White House may soon be over - but to the bitter end he is sewing dangerous mistrust and division.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:48 Tensions flare outside Philadelphia count
There will be no gracious concession speech.
No unifying message.
Alleging the election has been stolen from him, a parting gift on a country battered and bruised after a traumatic year.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--From SpongeBob to Eminem: Here are some of the best memes from the US election so far

The US election has entered its fourth day with key battleground states still yet to declare their results .
The votes are being counted and the lawsuits have been filed - all the American public can do now is wait .
Some voters have used Twitter to make light of the election as they wait for Joe Biden and Donald Trump to finish their race to the White House .
Here are some of the best memes so far .
Southampton FC poked fun at President Trump after their win against Newcastle on Friday .
Their victory took them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompting them to declare : `` STOP THE COUNT . ''
The tongue-in-cheek tweet referred to a comment from Mr Trump who has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Many of the memes poked fun at the long wait for results from Nevada .
One Twitter user shared an image of Rose from the Titanic marking 84 years since the ship sank and her lover drowned .
Another Twitter user shared an image of an exasperated SpongeBob SquarePants - with the sea sponge apparently keeping an eye on the election from Bikini @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video of a smooth R & B performer singing a counting-based love song with the lyrics : `` One , you 're like a dream come true .
Two , just want to be with you . ''
The clip was once again mocking the ballot counters of Nevada .
An Eminem remix of Donald Trump 's spiritual adviser giving an impassioned prayer service has also been a big hit on Twitter .
A drummer slowly hitting his instrument next to a fellow musician playing a livelier beat also makes fun of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And finally ... one Twitter user suggested Nevada election officers were actually enjoying all the memes rather than counting votes .

The US election has entered its fourth day with key battleground states still yet to declare their results.
The votes are being counted and the lawsuits have been filed - all the American public can do now is wait.
Some voters have used Twitter to make light of the election as they wait for Joe Biden and Donald Trump to finish their race to the White House.
Here are some of the best memes so far.
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Southampton FC poked fun at President Trump after their win against Newcastle on Friday.
Their victory took them to the top of the Premier League table prompting them to declare: "STOP THE COUNT."
The tongue-in-cheek tweet referred to a comment from Mr Trump who has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
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Many of the memes poked fun at the long wait for results from Nevada.
One Twitter user shared an image of Rose from the Titanic marking 84 years since the ship sank and her lover drowned.
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Another Twitter user shared an image of an exasperated SpongeBob SquarePants - with the sea sponge apparently keeping an eye on the election from Bikini Bottom.
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Twitter user Liz Jenkins shared a video of a smooth R&B performer singing a counting-based love song with the lyrics: "One, you're like a dream come true. Two, just want to be with you."
The clip was once again mocking the ballot counters of Nevada.
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An Eminem remix of Donald Trump's spiritual adviser giving an impassioned prayer service has also been a big hit on Twitter.
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A drummer slowly hitting his instrument next to a fellow musician playing a livelier beat also makes fun of the lengthy counting process in Nevada.
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And finally... one Twitter user suggested Nevada election officers were actually enjoying all the memes rather than counting votes.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--'I will never give up': Trump defiant despite Biden's breakthroughs

Joe Biden has overtaken Donald Trump by slim margins in two key battleground states , as the race for the White House goes down to the wire .
The Democratic candidate jumped into first place in Republican-held Georgia and Pennsylvania for the first time , meaning if he can stay out in front he will clinch the US presidency .
Counting is still underway , with the results due to be updated throughout the day by election administrators .
Sky News understands Mr Biden 's campaign team are `` thrilled '' at the developments , with staff said to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Mr Trump said in a statement he is no longer contesting `` any single election '' but `` our entire election process '' .
`` We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government ; I will never give up fighting for you and our nation , '' he added .
Despite his campaign 's attempts to delay a result , it looks like a nail-biting finish is in sight as the race to get to 270 Electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Biden is on 253 - and if he picks up 20 more with highly-prized Pennsylvania , he will win the White House and make Mr Trump the first one-term president since George HW Bush .
A result there was expected imminently , but an election official said it could be several days before the numbers are confirmed because of having to wait for ballots from members of the armed forces and voters living overseas .
Even without the Rust Belt jewel , Mr Biden would still get over the line with two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina .
He was expected to address the nation tonight to make an appeal for unity and healing , but it is now unclear if that will go ahead given no more states have been announced yet .
The most senior Democrat in Congress , Nancy Pelosi , is already treating victory as a given , saying it is `` clear '' Mr Biden will win and referring to him as `` president-elect '' .
`` His election is historic , '' she said - despite no more declarations having been made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get underway due to the race being so tight .
Disputing Mr Trump 's unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud , Gabriel Sterling , a local Republican official there overseeing the count , said `` we 're not seeing any widespread irregularities '' .
And Mitt Romney , the former Republican presidential candidate who ran in 2012 , said it is `` wrong '' to claim the election was rigged - warning that doing so `` damages the cause of freedom here '' and `` recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous passions '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to wade into the row about the legitimacy of the election .
But he said he has `` every confidence '' in the checks and balances of the US system and promised to `` work closely '' with whoever wins .
Several records have already been broken this election - with Mr Biden , who is leading in the popular vote , getting the most votes achieved by any presidential candidate in history .
And Mr Trump has surpassed the total number of backers he had in 2016 by 3 million votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but eroded trust in democracy will last By Sally Lockwood , news correspondent , in Pennsylvania We could have known the result in Pennsylvania before now had postal votes been allowed to be counted before election day .
Instead , on-the-day ballots had to be calculated first under state electoral rules which revealed a lead for Mr Trump .
That margin has evaporated as mail-in ballots were tabulated .
Democrats were more likely to vote by post but the president has used his early lead as an opportunity to cry foul and fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discount postal votes by filing legal challenges in battleground states seem desperate attempts to delay the inevitable .
They already lost court rulings in three states yesterday .
A small number of ballots are being called into question and they would be unlikely to make any material difference to Joe Biden 's current trajectory .
The more defining consequence of these legal disputes is an erosion of trust in America 's democracy .
Mr Trump 's repeated calls to `` stop the count '' may well have inspired an armed man to drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop vote counters in the convention centre .
The suspect now in police custody .
The Republican candidate 's time in the White House may soon be over - but to the bitter end he is sewing dangerous distrust and division .
There will be no gracious concession speech , no unifying message , just alleging the election has been stolen from him - a parting gift to a country battered and bruised after a traumatic year .

Joe Biden has said he will win the presidential race with a "clear majority" and over 300 electoral college votes.
The Democratic candidate was speaking after he overtook Donald Trump in the vital remaining battleground states, with the keys to the White House appearing tantalisingly close.
Mr Biden has jumped into first place in Republican-held Georgia and Pennsylvania for the first time, meaning if he can stay out in front he will clinch the presidency.
He said he had received over 74 million votes so far - the most of any presidential candidate ever - and was beating Mr Trump by four million.
US election 2020 live: Follow the latest updates
Mr Biden, speaking in Delaware late on Friday night, stopped short of a final declaration of victory, but also tweeted: "The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story: We're going to win this race."
The counting of crucial postal votes is still underway, with results due to be updated throughout the day.
The 77-year old said the Democrats had "rebuilt the blue wall in the middle of the country" - while pulling into the lead in Georgia, Pennsylvania and doubling their advantage in Nevada.
"We're on track for over 300 Electoral College votes," he said.
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"And look at the national numbers: We're going to win this race with a clear majority of the nation behind us."
In a thinly veiled swipe at Mr Trump, he added: "Your vote will be counted. I don't care how hard people try to stop it. I will not let it happen."
Sky News understands Mr Biden's campaign team are "thrilled" at the developments, with staff said to be "elated" and "confident".
But Mr Trump said in a statement he is no longer contesting "any single election" but "our entire election process".
"We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government; I will never give up fighting for you and our nation," he added.
Despite his campaign's attempts to delay a result, it looks like a nail-biting finish is in sight as the race to get to 270 Electoral College votes enters its final stretch.
Mr Biden is on 253 - and if he picks up 20 more with highly-prized Pennsylvania, he will win the White House and make Mr Trump the first one-term president since George HW Bush.
Image: Some protesters have urged administrators to carry on counting
A result there was expected imminently, but an election official said it could be several days before the numbers are confirmed because of having to wait for ballots from members of the armed forces and voters living overseas.
Even without the Rust Belt jewel, Mr Biden would still get over the line with two of Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina.
Image: A final result in Pennsylvania may take several days
The most senior Democrat in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, is already treating victory as a given, saying it is "clear" Mr Biden will win and referring to him as "president-elect".
"His election is historic," she said - despite no more declarations having been made yet.
Image: Nancy Pelosi called Joe Biden the 'president-elect'
In Georgia, a recount will get underway due to the race being so tight.
Disputing Mr Trump's unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud, Gabriel Sterling, a local Republican official there overseeing the count, said "we're not seeing any widespread irregularities".
And Mitt Romney, the former Republican presidential candidate who ran in 2012, said it is "wrong" to claim the election was rigged - warning that doing so "damages the cause of freedom here" and "recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous passions".
Image: Mr Sterling denied there was any widespread voter fraud
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tried not to wade into the row about the legitimacy of the election.
But he said he has "every confidence" in the checks and balances of the US system and promised to "work closely" with whoever wins.
Image: The president has inspired mistrust amongst his supporters in the result
Several records have already been broken this election - with Mr Biden, who is leading in the popular vote, getting the most votes achieved by any presidential candidate in history.
And Mr Trump has surpassed the total number of backers he had in 2016 by 3 million votes.
Analysis: Trump may lose, but eroded trust in democracy will last
By Sally Lockwood, news correspondent, in Pennsylvania
Image: Mr Trump has cried foul and fraud - without evidence
We could have known the result in Pennsylvania before now had postal votes been allowed to be counted before election day.
Instead, on-the-day ballots had to be calculated first under state electoral rules which revealed a lead for Mr Trump.
That margin has evaporated as mail-in ballots were tabulated.
Democrats were more likely to vote by post but the president has used his early lead as an opportunity to cry foul and fraud.
The Trump campaign's requests to discount postal votes by filing legal challenges in battleground states seem desperate attempts to delay the inevitable.
They already lost court rulings in three states yesterday.
Image: Counting is still underway in five states
A small number of ballots are being called into question and they would be unlikely to make any material difference to Joe Biden's current trajectory.
The more defining consequence of these legal disputes is an erosion of trust in America's democracy.
Mr Trump's repeated calls to "stop the count" may well have inspired an armed man to drive to Pennsylvania last night allegedly plotting to stop vote counters in the convention centre. The suspect now in police custody.
The Republican candidate's time in the White House may soon be over - but to the bitter end he is sewing dangerous distrust and division.
There will be no gracious concession speech, no unifying message, just alleging the election has been stolen from him - a parting gift to a country battered and bruised after a traumatic year.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--'No defence': Republicans hit back at Trump for trashing election fairness

Donald Trump is facing urgent pleas from some senior Republicans to stop undermining faith in the American electoral system .
The US president has made wild accusations that the race for the White House is rigged and biased against him - without concrete evidence .
Many in his own party and family have stood by him , but some have spoken out to urge him to concede peacefully if he does end up losing to Joe Biden , warning the consequences otherwise will be dire .
Mitt Romney , who ran for the Republicans against Barack Obama eight years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rights to request recounts , to call for investigation of alleged voting irregularities where evidence exists , and to exhaust legal remedies '' .
But he added : `` He is wrong to say that the election was rigged , corrupt and stolen .
`` Doing so damages the cause of freedom here and around the world , weakens the institutions that lie at the foundation of the republic , and recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous passions .
`` Counting every vote is at the heart of democracy .
That process is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , frustrating .
`` The votes will be counted .
If there are irregularities alleged , they will be investigated and ultimately resolved in the court . ''
Pat Toomey , a Republican senator in Pennsylvania , revealed it was `` very hard to watch '' the president 's White House speech in which he savaged the integrity of the election system .
`` The president 's allegations of large-scale fraud and theft of the election are just not substantiated , '' he said .
`` I 'm not aware of any significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maryland 's Republican governor , also said : `` There is no defence for the president 's comments tonight undermining our democratic process .
`` America is counting the votes , and we must respect the results as we always have before .
No election or person is more important than our democracy . ''
And Will Hurd , a Republican member of Congress representing part of Texas , said : `` A sitting president undermining our political process and questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon .
Every American should have his or her vote counted . ''

Donald Trump is facing urgent pleas from some senior Republicans to stop undermining faith in the American electoral system.
The US president has made wild accusations that the race for the White House is rigged and biased against him - without concrete evidence.
Many in his own party and family have stood by him, but some have spoken out to urge him to concede peacefully if he does end up losing to Joe Biden, warning the consequences otherwise will be dire.
US election 2020 live: Follow the latest updates
Mitt Romney, who ran for the Republicans against Barack Obama eight years ago, said Mr Trump was "within his rights to request recounts, to call for investigation of alleged voting irregularities where evidence exists, and to exhaust legal remedies".
But he added: "He is wrong to say that the election was rigged, corrupt and stolen.
"Doing so damages the cause of freedom here and around the world, weakens the institutions that lie at the foundation of the republic, and recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous passions.
"Counting every vote is at the heart of democracy. That process is often long and, for those running, frustrating.
"The votes will be counted. If there are irregularities alleged, they will be investigated and ultimately resolved in the court."
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Image: Mitt Romney said if there really are irregularities, they will be investigated
Pat Toomey, a Republican senator in Pennsylvania, revealed it was "very hard to watch" the president's White House speech in which he savaged the integrity of the election system.
"The president's allegations of large-scale fraud and theft of the election are just not substantiated," he said.
"I'm not aware of any significant wrongdoing here."
Larry Hogan, Maryland's Republican governor, also said: "There is no defence for the president's comments tonight undermining our democratic process.
"America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before. No election or person is more important than our democracy."
And Will Hurd, a Republican member of Congress representing part of Texas, said: "A sitting president undermining our political process and questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not only dangerous and wrong.
"It undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon. Every American should have his or her vote counted."


skynewsus--2020-11-05--Trump claims he is being cheated out of re-election by 'illegal votes'

Donald Trump has made a series of unsubstantiated allegations claiming he is being cheated out of re-election and calling for the outcome to be decided by the Supreme Court .
The Republican alleged he was the victim of interference from `` phony polls '' along with `` big media , big money and big tech '' after his campaign launched a series of legal challenges in key states .
In a news conference late on Thursday , he said : `` If you count the legal votes I easily won .
If you count the illegal votes , they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Live updates as election still too close to call He later tweeted : `` I easily WIN the Presidency of the United States with LEGAL VOTES CAST .
The OBSERVERS were not allowed , in any way , shape , or form , to do their job and therefore , votes accepted during this period must be determined to be ILLEGAL VOTES .
US Supreme Court should decide ! ''
The presidential election remains too close to call after polls closed on Tuesday , but Joe Biden remains the favourite after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was expected to announce its result later on Friday .
If it goes to Mr Biden , he wins the race to the White House .
Here , Sky News looks at the Trump campaign 's legal challenges and asks experts if they are likely to succeed .
Which states has Donald Trump launched legal action in ?
The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit to require Chatham County , which includes the city of Savannah , to separate and secure late-arriving ballots to ensure they are not counted .
The Trump campaign asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` improper votes '' in Democrat-leaning Clark County , home to Las Vegas , and said it was filing a federal lawsuit .
It said it had evidence that `` thousands of people '' cast ballots who no longer live in the state or are dead .
The Trump campaign also said people have taken other voters ' mail-in ballot papers and voted falsely under their names , with others sending `` up to 18 ballots '' .
Mr Trump 's campaign has asked the US Supreme Court to allow it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans over whether the battleground state should be permitted to accept ballots that were mailed by election day , but arrived late .
They also wanted more access for Republican observers .
Mr Trump 's campaign manager from 2016 , Cory Lewandowski , arrived at the Pennsylvania Convention centre with a court order which he said gave him permission to enter the Philadelphia count .
He told Sky News ' Mark Stone : `` We 'll see if fraud is taking place . ''
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said the campaign would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wisconsin .
He cited `` reports of irregularities in several Wisconsin counties which raise serious doubts about the validity of the results '' .
The Trump campaign has lost a lawsuit to halt vote-counting in Michigan .
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens made the ruling during a hearing , saying she plans to issue a written ruling tomorrow .
Joe Biden is projected to win the state with 99 % of votes counted .
What have the experts said ?
Lawrence Douglas , law professor and author of Will He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meltdown In 2020 Professor Douglas told Sky News : `` The lawsuits seem frivolous without any real chance of materially affecting the outcome of the election .
`` The only thing they can do is delay matters and further muddy the waters - which might be Trump 's aim in the first place . ''
Professor Robert Tsai , law professor at the American University Washington College of Law He said : `` From my examination of the lawsuits so far , they look like a bit of a desperation ploy .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except Nevada and as those counts are still trickling in , it looks like they 're going Biden 's way .
`` If you look at the substance of the lawsuits that have been filed , they are mostly alleging under state laws that there has perhaps been inappropriate or insufficient access to polling stations - but these have been thrown out pretty consistently so far .
`` I do n't see thousands of votes changing or being thrown out from what I 've seen . ''
Professor Levinson said the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see if anything sticks for long enough to muck up the waters '' .
She added : `` There is no consistent strategy there . ''
Edward Foley , specialist in election law at the Moritz College of Law Mr Foley said the cases might have merit but only affected a small number of ballots and procedural issues .
He added : `` But merit in that sense is very different from having the kind of consequence that Bush v.Gore did in 2000 . ''
Ms Laham told Sky News : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conduct of the election in that state , and the Trump campaign must prove that the election is not being conducted in accordance with the state requirements .
`` If the campaign has sufficient evidence to prove the violation alleged then it has a chance of being successful on the merits . ''
David Weinstein , former assistant US attorney for the southern district of Florida Mr Weinstein told Sky News : `` They all have a long shot to get anywhere here . ''
He added : `` As far as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close in any of these states . ''

Joe Biden is now president-elect, but Donald Trump insists he is fighting on, and claims the election is "far from over".
The Republican alleged he was the victim of interference from "phony polls" along with "big media, big money and big tech" after his campaign launched a series of legal challenges in key states.
He tweeted: "I easily WIN the Presidency of the United States with LEGAL VOTES CAST. The OBSERVERS were not allowed, in any way, shape, or form, to do their job and therefore, votes accepted during this period must be determined to be ILLEGAL VOTES. US Supreme Court should decide!"
Each of the states where Mr Trump has launched legal action have either been won by Mr Biden or are being narrowly led by him.
Since 9 November, the Trump campaign and other Republicans have filed new cases every day.
Here, Sky News looks at the Trump campaign's legal challenges and asks experts if they are likely to succeed.
Which states has Donald Trump launched legal action in?
Georgia
Mr Biden is leading by 14,057 votes in Georgia, which has prompted a recount, by hand. City officials have endeavoured to finish the count by 20 November.
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The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit to require Chatham County, which includes the city of Savannah, to separate and secure late-arriving ballots to ensure they are not counted.
They were challenging 57 absentee ballots.
However, a Superior Court judge rejected the lawsuit last week after county officials testified that the ballots had arrived on time.
The court found no evidence the ballots had been received after the deadline of 7pm on election day.
But the Trump campaign is now claiming four dead people's names were used to vote and Republicans in Georgia have released the obituaries of those people, but have not provided evidence their names were used.
Nevada
The Trump campaign asked for emergency relief to stop the counting of "improper votes" in Democrat-leaning Clark County, home to Las Vegas, and said it was filing a federal lawsuit.
It said it had evidence that "thousands of people" cast ballots who no longer live in the state or are dead.
Image: Election officials count ballots in Wisconsin
The Trump campaign also said people have taken other voters' mail-in ballot papers and voted falsely under their names, with others sending "up to 18 ballots".
In a news conference, Republican officials introduced Jill Stokey, a voter who claimed she had been turned away from casting her vote because someone had already voted in her name.
Nevada election officials later said Ms Stokey had in fact been turned away because she had already voted once.
The lawsuit has since been rejected, finding no evidence Clark County did anything unlawful, and the state is projected to be won by Joe Biden with 97% of the votes counted.
Pennsylvania
At least five lawsuits have been filed in Pennsylvania, the deciding state that managed to push Mr Biden over the line to take the presidency.
The suits called for:
Ballot counting to be stopped. This was dismissed by a federal judge
Republican "poll watchers" to be allowed closer observation of the counting process. A state judge ruled in the Trump campaign's favour, although Philadelphia election officials have appealed the decision to the state's Supreme Court. The case is ongoing, although is unlikely to affect the result
State officials to impose an earlier date for voters to provide proof of identity if it was not on their initial ballots. This case is also ongoing
Montgomery County to stop counting mail-in ballots, alleging 600 votes were not placed in secrecy envelopes. Although this is ongoing, data shows the county had overwhelmingly voted for Mr Biden
Intervention over whether ballots received after 8pm on election day should count. The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) could take this case, but some legal experts say any ruling would be unlikely to change the outcome of the election. The state has been ordered to keep those ballots separate, but counting was not blocked.
Wisconsin
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said the campaign would request an immediate recount of the vote in Wisconsin.
He cited "reports of irregularities in several Wisconsin counties which raise serious doubts about the validity of the results".
Wisconsin was narrowly won by Mr Biden, but a recount could still happen after the 17 November deadline for officials to review votes passes.
There was a recount in Wisconsin in 2016 but it only changed about a hundred votes.
Michigan
The Trump campaign lost a lawsuit to halt vote-counting in Michigan two days after the election.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 8:55 Trump says election is 'major fraud'
The courts also rejected a suit calling for a halt to the vote certification process in Detroit.
Joe Biden won Michigan by 2% but two legal challenges have been filed in the state, one on 11 November in federal court and another in state court, with both claiming to include specific, detailed allegations of alleged fraud and misconduct by poll workers at the TCF Center in Detroit.
One person making the claims is a former assistant attorney general of Michigan and another is a TCF Center poll worker.
Arizona
Mr Biden narrowly won the traditionally Republican state by 11,434 votes.
The Trump campaign has filed a lawsuit alleging poll workers allowed voters to cast defective ballots which should have been fixed on the spot.
This appears to be based on poll workers allegedly overriding electronic alerts of "overvotes" on submitted ballots, and also with alleged problems with voters using permanent markers to fill in blanks on paper ballots.
Election officials say these claims are false, and even without a victory in this state Mr Biden would still have won the election.
Image: People queuing to vote in Lansing, Michigan
What have the experts said?
Lawrence Douglas, law professor and author of Will He Go? Trump And The Looming Election Meltdown In 2020
Professor Douglas told Sky News: "The lawsuits seem frivolous without any real chance of materially affecting the outcome of the election.
"The only thing they can do is delay matters and further muddy the waters - which might be Trump's aim in the first place."
Professor Robert Tsai, law professor at the American University Washington College of Law
He said: "From my examination of the lawsuits so far, they look like a bit of a desperation ploy.
"The margins are not particularly close anywhere except Nevada and as those counts are still trickling in, it looks like they're going Biden's way.
"If you look at the substance of the lawsuits that have been filed, they are mostly alleging under state laws that there has perhaps been inappropriate or insufficient access to polling stations - but these have been thrown out pretty consistently so far.
"I don't see thousands of votes changing or being thrown out from what I've seen."
Jessica Levinson, professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles
Professor Levinson said the Trump campaign was "throwing theories at a wall to see if anything sticks for long enough to muck up the waters".
She added: "There is no consistent strategy there."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:42 US lawyer says Trump legal action 'shaky'
Edward Foley, specialist in election law at the Moritz College of Law
Mr Foley said the cases might have merit but only affected a small number of ballots and procedural issues.
He added: "But merit in that sense is very different from having the kind of consequence that Bush v.Gore did in 2000."
Carol Laham, partner in Wiley Rein LLP's nationally-recognised Election Law & Government Ethics Practice
Ms Laham told Sky News: "Every state has its own requirements for the conduct of the election in that state, and the Trump campaign must prove that the election is not being conducted in accordance with the state requirements.
"If the campaign has sufficient evidence to prove the violation alleged then it has a chance of being successful on the merits."
David Weinstein, former assistant US attorney for the southern district of Florida
Mr Weinstein told Sky News: "They all have a long shot to get anywhere here."
He added: "As far as recounts go, it's not even close in any of these states."


skynewsus--2020-11-06--The state of play in the remaining battlegrounds

Joe Biden is edging closer to the White House as he maintains leads in four of the six remaining states that are yet to declare in the US election .
Donald Tump is launching legal action in four of them , and Mr Biden has taken overtaken the incumbent president in the crucial state of Pennsylvania .
Mr Biden 's campaign team is said to be feeling `` elated '' about developments - while Mr Trump 's team has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Here is the state of play in the six states which have not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is increasing in the state with each drop of new results - however the margin is still narrow .
Mr Biden was leading by 8,867 votes as of 6.30pm ( UK time ) this evening .
Votes are still being counted in the state which is worth 20 electoral college votes - enough to secure Mr Biden the presidency .
There will be a recount in the key swing state after it was announced there will be a margin of a few thousand votes .
Mr Biden was 1,561 votes ahead in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Mr Biden wins Georgia , there is no way Trump can win the election - the best he can do is tie , and that is only by winning all five of the remaining states .
And then , the election will be decided by Congress .
Mr Biden is ahead by 43,779 votes as of 6.40pm this evening in the state which is worth 11 electoral college votes .
Democratic candidate Mark Kelly is projected to win in Arizona , meaning the traditionally conservative state will now have two Democratic senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack by the Radical Left Dems on the Republican Senate , the Presidency becomes even more important ! ''
Mr Biden was ahead by just over 20,000 votes in Nevada as of 6.40pm this evening .
It is worth six electoral college votes .
Pro-Trump protesters in Nevada have been calling for the counting of mail-in ballots , which largely favour Mr Biden , to stop .
Mr Trump was ahead by 7,304 as of 6.50pm this evening .
Mr Trump is expected to win North Carolina but would also need success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain the presidency .
The state , which is not a critical battleground , has still not been called either way .
As of 7pm this evening , Mr Trump was 160,000 votes ahead of his Democratic counterpart .
The state is worth three electoral college votes and was won by Mr Trump in 2016 .

Joe Biden might have won the presidency but vote counting is continuing in four states.
Mr Biden's campaign team is celebrating victory, while Donald Trump's team has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
Here is the state of play in the four states which have not yet been called:
Georgia
There will be a recount in the key swing state after it was announced there will be a margin of just a few thousand votes.
Having trailed Mr Trump by 300,000 votes on Wednesday, Mr Biden now has a lead of 7,500.
The recount could delay the result for weeks.
If Mr Biden carries Georgia, he would be the first Democratic nominee to do so since Bill Clinton in 1992, but It seems neither candidate will win the state's 16 electoral college votes anytime soon.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:13 'There will be a recount in Georgia'
Arizona
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Mr Biden and Mr Trump are almost neck-and-neck in the state, which carries 11 electoral college votes.
Mr Biden's lead has been getting smaller, with a formerly healthy margin of 60,000 votes now just over 20,000.
Arizona has traditionally voted Republican and was home to one of the party's best-known senators John McCain.
North Carolina
Mr Trump is currently ahead by 75,433 in the state, which has 15 electoral college votes.
The president is expected to win here.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 5:42 US election: Who voted for Donald Trump?
Alaska
The state, which is not a critical battleground, has still not been called either way.
The latest tally has Mr Trump 51,382 votes ahead of his Democratic challenger.
The state, which is worth three electoral college votes, was won by Mr Trump in 2016.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--Michigan parents who have 14 sons finally have a baby girl

A US couple who have 14 sons have finally had a daughter nearly three decades after the birth of their first child .
Kateri Schwandt gave birth to Maggie Jayne , who weighed in at 7lb 8oz , on Thursday .
Jay Schwandt said he and his wife , both 45 , `` are overjoyed and beyond excited to add Maggie Jayne to our family '' .
The couple and their large family live on a 200-acre farm in Michigan .
Mr Schwandt told the Detroit Free Press : `` This year has been memorable in so many ways , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the greatest gift we could ever imagine . ''
Maggie was born at the Mercy Health Saint Mary 's Hospital in Grand Rapids , Michigan .
The Schwandts have been featured for years in local and national news as their family has grown .
The couple have a livestreaming programme called 14 Outdoorsmen that may now need a name change .
Their oldest child , Tyler Schwandt , 28 , said his parents thought they would never have a daughter after 14 sons .
He said there is likely nothing pink in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community of Lakeview , about 30 miles northeast of Grand Rapids .
Tyler Schwandt , who is engaged to be married and recently bought a home 20 minutes away from his parents ' farm , said : `` I do n't even know if my mom owns any pink clothing - or anything . ''
Jay and Kateri Schwandt started dating as freshmen , attending Gaylord High School and Gaylord St Mary 's , respectively .
They wed in 1993 , before they attended Ferris State University , and before they graduated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advanced degrees , even as their family grew .
Mrs Schwandt holds a master 's degree in social work from Grand Valley State University , and Mr Schwandt , who is a lawyer and owner of a land surveying business , holds a law degree from Western Michigan University 's Thomas M. Cooley Law School .

A US couple who have 14 sons have finally had a daughter nearly three decades after the birth of their first child.
Kateri Schwandt gave birth to Maggie Jayne, who weighed in at 7lb 8oz, on Thursday.
Jay Schwandt said he and his wife, both 45, "are overjoyed and beyond excited to add Maggie Jayne to our family".
The couple and their large family live on a 200-acre farm in Michigan.
Mr Schwandt told the Detroit Free Press: "This year has been memorable in so many ways, for so many reasons, but Maggie is the greatest gift we could ever imagine."
Maggie was born at the Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Schwandts have been featured for years in local and national news as their family has grown.
The couple have a livestreaming programme called 14 Outdoorsmen that may now need a name change.
Image: Jay and Kateri Schwandt have finally welcomed a baby girl into the world. Pic: NBC
Their oldest child, Tyler Schwandt, 28, said his parents thought they would never have a daughter after 14 sons.
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He said there is likely nothing pink in the family's home in the rural community of Lakeview, about 30 miles northeast of Grand Rapids.
Tyler Schwandt, who is engaged to be married and recently bought a home 20 minutes away from his parents' farm, said: "I don't even know if my mom owns any pink clothing - or anything."
Jay and Kateri Schwandt started dating as freshmen, attending Gaylord High School and Gaylord St Mary's, respectively.
They wed in 1993, before they attended Ferris State University, and before they graduated the couple had three sons.
Both earned advanced degrees, even as their family grew.
Mrs Schwandt holds a master's degree in social work from Grand Valley State University, and Mr Schwandt, who is a lawyer and owner of a land surveying business, holds a law degree from Western Michigan University's Thomas M. Cooley Law School.


skynewsus--2020-11-05--Why is the US election count taking so long - and when will we get a result?

Polling experts and election boffins tell us they never expected a winner to be announced on the night .
But people across the world are now starting to wonder why - almost four days after polls closed - we still do n't know who will be the president of the United States .
In a speech in the initial early hours of counting , Donald Trump declared himself the winner of the US election and has since made unsubstantiated claims of election rigging and voter fraud .
His challenger Joe Biden , who appears to be on the verge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patience , saying `` each ballot must be counted '' - and with his numbers going up , he has claimed to have a `` clear majority '' .
Now , it seems like patience remains the key .
Here 's why there 's been a delay : Postal votes are largely to blame .
As is the US system of allowing states to make all their own ( and often differing ) rules on anything , but in this case specifically , also on vote counting .
This means that each state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they should be tallied .
Rules in some states do n't allow election workers to begin the labour-intensive work of processing postal ( or `` mail-in ballots '' as they are known in the US ) until election day itself .
The deadline for postal votes in North Carolina is 10 November , Alaska is 12 November , and in Washington state , it stretches to 23 November .
Washington and Alaska are relatively unimportant for the final result in the presidential race , in that Washington is strongly Democrat and Alaska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nevertheless means a full vote count will not be available for days to come .
Postal votes typically take longer to count then those made at a polling station , as they have to go through a longer process of steps to ensure they are not fraudulent .
Of course , this year , there have been record numbers of them - more than 99 million - due to the coronavirus pandemic .
And because of that , dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting - some of those changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nevada , New Jersey and Vermont , along with Washington DC for instance , sent mail-in ballots to all voters , joining the handful of states that already conduct all-mail elections .
There 's also been a big expansion in who can vote `` absentee '' .
Many states , including New Hampshire and New York , have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot , or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse .
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - often as the result of litigation - have said mail-in ballots only need to be postmarked by election day , rather than received by then .
And in Virginia , for instance , an absentee ballot wo n't need a witness signature .
In short , the voting rules vary widely , making announcing an overall winner a difficult - and slow - process .
Of the final states left to declare : State law in Arizona allows election officials to count mail votes up to two weeks before election day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10pm on election night .
However , absentee ballots sent right before the election ( as long as they are postmarked before 3 November ) , may not be tallied until Friday , so the state could remain undecided into next week .
The North Carolina State Board of Elections estimated 80 % of votes would be cast early or by mail and were largely counted after their polls closed at 7.30pm on the night .
But its outside deadline for these kinds of votes is 12 November , meaning a full count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days yet .
So long as the mail-in votes were postmarked by election day , they will be counted - a policy recently upheld by the US Supreme Court .
So , as in other states with generous mail ballot deadlines , those final ballots could mean the full result is unclear for days .
This state has a deadline of 10 November for mail-in ballots .
Alaska is one of only two states that begin counting absentee ballots after election day .
New York is the other state , and it begins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alaska 's deadline for finishing is 13 November .
Soon after President Donald Trump took the key swing state of Florida , the focus shifted to the northeastern US and the battleground state of Pennsylvania .
Back in 2016 , Mr Trump 's win here is what ultimately led to his victory over Hillary Clinton .
Of the three , it is Pennsylvania - and its 20 electoral college votes - that has always been expected to be close , with thin margins and the very real prospect of recounts and legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Friday 6 November .
Pennsylvania election officials can accept mail ballots that arrive up to three days after the election , as long as they were postmarked by 3 November .
Many counties began processing ballots as soon as they were allowed - at 7am on polling day - but a handful said they would not begin dealing with absentee ballots until the next morning at the earliest .
If the 2020 election comes down to Pennsylvania , and the margin remains tight , it is possible the election hangs in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's campaign on Wednesday declared victory in the state , and also filed a suit in the Supreme Court asking for the remaining ballots not to be counted .
The campaign said that it was suing to temporarily stop the vote count in Pennsylvania , citing a lack of `` transparency '' in the count process .
What is Trump 's issue with postal voting ?
The sitting president has made no secret of the fact that he is against people voting by post and indeed , most Republicans listened to his argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mail-in system as being subject to `` tremendous fraud '' - but has yet to offer any evidence that this has happened .
His stance was in some way boosted by a warning from the US Postal Service ( USPS ) back in the summer that millions of mail-in votes may not arrive in time to be counted due to the record numbers of applications .
Critics even went so far as to blame the new USPS head - a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump - for a slowdown in deliveries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt his campaign since it is largely supported by Democrat voters and he took the drastic step of refusing to sign off on $ 25bn ( £19bn ) in emergency funding for the USPS or $ 3.5bn for election security , claiming his move was due to the cost alone .
Mr Trump has also repeatedly condemned mail-in voting as an opportunity for fraud and election interference .
But numerous national and state-level studies have shown that although there have been isolated cases , electoral fraud is very rare .
When will we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paths to the White House for Joe Biden , but Donald Trump must take Pennsylvania and three other states .
A winner will only be confirmed once one of the candidates gets 270 Electoral College votes in the bag .
This could come any time from now , so stand by .
Why do n't we have these delays in Britain ?
Well , to be fair , we have not held an election during a pandemic so counters have not been swamped by postal votes .
In the British system , postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the two weeks before polling day and can be opened and sorted anytime up to polling day .
The signature on each form is scanned in advance and packed up securely , ready to take to the polling station on the night .
Although the postal votes are opened and the accompanying personal identity information is checked , the ballot papers are handled face down until the start of count following the close of poll , so that it 's not possible to see how the votes have been cast .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US , is that all ballot papers must be completed and returned , in the first class envelope provided ( or handed in person at an elections office ) , before 10pm on polling day and any received after that are not accepted .
Returning officers on the night make sure that the papers arrive at the count in sealed boxes until they are opened and counted .

Polling experts and election boffins tell us they never expected a winner to be announced on the night.
But people across the world are now starting to wonder why - almost four days after polls closed - we still don't know who will be the president of the United States.
In a speech in the initial early hours of counting, Donald Trump declared himself the winner of the US election and has since made unsubstantiated claims of election rigging and voter fraud.
His challenger Joe Biden, who appears to be on the verge of victory, has appealed for calm and patience, saying "each ballot must be counted" - and with his numbers going up, he has claimed to have a "clear majority".
Now, it seems like patience remains the key.
Here's why there's been a delay:
Postal votes are largely to blame. As is the US system of allowing states to make all their own (and often differing) rules on anything, but in this case specifically, also on vote counting.
This means that each state sets a different timeline and deadline for when they should be tallied.
Rules in some states don't allow election workers to begin the labour-intensive work of processing postal (or "mail-in ballots" as they are known in the US) until election day itself.
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The deadline for postal votes in North Carolina is 10 November, Alaska is 12 November, and in Washington state, it stretches to 23 November.
Washington and Alaska are relatively unimportant for the final result in the presidential race, in that Washington is strongly Democrat and Alaska is fairly solidly Republican, but it nevertheless means a full vote count will not be available for days to come.
Image: All eyes are on the vote counters
Postal votes typically take longer to count then those made at a polling station, as they have to go through a longer process of steps to ensure they are not fraudulent.
Of course, this year, there have been record numbers of them - more than 99 million - due to the coronavirus pandemic. And because of that, dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting - some of those changes being more substantial than others.
California, Nevada, New Jersey and Vermont, along with Washington DC for instance, sent mail-in ballots to all voters, joining the handful of states that already conduct all-mail elections.
There's also been a big expansion in who can vote "absentee". Many states, including New Hampshire and New York, have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse.
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot. Some states - often as the result of litigation - have said mail-in ballots only need to be postmarked by election day, rather than received by then. And in Virginia, for instance, an absentee ballot won't need a witness signature.
In short, the voting rules vary widely, making announcing an overall winner a difficult - and slow - process.
Of the final states left to declare:
Image: There may be a delay in Arizona making a call
Arizona
State law in Arizona allows election officials to count mail votes up to two weeks before election day. Those tallies can be released starting around 10pm on election night.
However, absentee ballots sent right before the election (as long as they are postmarked before 3 November), may not be tallied until Friday, so the state could remain undecided into next week.
North Carolina
The North Carolina State Board of Elections estimated 80% of votes would be cast early or by mail and were largely counted after their polls closed at 7.30pm on the night. But its outside deadline for these kinds of votes is 12 November, meaning a full count total will not be available for some days yet.
So long as the mail-in votes were postmarked by election day, they will be counted - a policy recently upheld by the US Supreme Court. So, as in other states with generous mail ballot deadlines, those final ballots could mean the full result is unclear for days.
Nevada
This state has a deadline of 10 November for mail-in ballots.
Alaska
Alaska is one of only two states that begin counting absentee ballots after election day. New York is the other state, and it begins counting absentees three days after the election. Alaska's deadline for finishing is 13 November.
Pennsylvania
Soon after President Donald Trump took the key swing state of Florida, the focus shifted to the northeastern US and the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Back in 2016, Mr Trump's win here is what ultimately led to his victory over Hillary Clinton.
Of the three, it is Pennsylvania - and its 20 electoral college votes - that has always been expected to be close, with thin margins and the very real prospect of recounts and legal challenges.
Its deadline for postal ballots is Friday 6 November.
Pennsylvania election officials can accept mail ballots that arrive up to three days after the election, as long as they were postmarked by 3 November.
Many counties began processing ballots as soon as they were allowed - at 7am on polling day - but a handful said they would not begin dealing with absentee ballots until the next morning at the earliest.
If the 2020 election comes down to Pennsylvania, and the margin remains tight, it is possible the election hangs in the balance for several days.
Donald Trump's campaign on Wednesday declared victory in the state, and also filed a suit in the Supreme Court asking for the remaining ballots not to be counted.
The campaign said that it was suing to temporarily stop the vote count in Pennsylvania, citing a lack of "transparency" in the count process.
What is Trump's issue with postal voting?
Image: The president's latest claims over the postal vote system have not be substantiated
The sitting president has made no secret of the fact that he is against people voting by post and indeed, most Republicans listened to his argument and voted in person.
He described the mail-in system as being subject to "tremendous fraud" - but has yet to offer any evidence that this has happened.
His stance was in some way boosted by a warning from the US Postal Service (USPS) back in the summer that millions of mail-in votes may not arrive in time to be counted due to the record numbers of applications.
Critics even went so far as to blame the new USPS head - a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump - for a slowdown in deliveries.
Mr Trump feared postal votes would hurt his campaign since it is largely supported by Democrat voters and he took the drastic step of refusing to sign off on $25bn (£19bn) in emergency funding for the USPS or $3.5bn for election security, claiming his move was due to the cost alone.
Mr Trump has also repeatedly condemned mail-in voting as an opportunity for fraud and election interference.
But numerous national and state-level studies have shown that although there have been isolated cases, electoral fraud is very rare.
Image: Votes received after 10pm on polling day in the UK are not accepted
When will we get a result?
There are several paths to the White House for Joe Biden, but Donald Trump must take Pennsylvania and three other states.
A winner will only be confirmed once one of the candidates gets 270 Electoral College votes in the bag. This could come any time from now, so stand by.
Why don't we have these delays in Britain?
Well, to be fair, we have not held an election during a pandemic so counters have not been swamped by postal votes.
In the British system, postal votes are sent to all registered electors in the two weeks before polling day and can be opened and sorted anytime up to polling day. The signature on each form is scanned in advance and packed up securely, ready to take to the polling station on the night.
Although the postal votes are opened and the accompanying personal identity information is checked, the ballot papers are handled face down until the start of count following the close of poll, so that it's not possible to see how the votes have been cast.
And the crucial difference between the UK and the US, is that all ballot papers must be completed and returned, in the first class envelope provided (or handed in person at an elections office), before 10pm on polling day and any received after that are not accepted.
Returning officers on the night make sure that the papers arrive at the count in sealed boxes until they are opened and counted.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--Best memes from the US election so far (they're mostly about Nevada)


skynewsus--2020-11-07--'Bad things happened': Trump repeats fraud claims - but does not offer proof

Donald Trump has repeated his allegations about electoral fraud without providing proof to support his claims , tweeting that `` bad things happened '' inside counting rooms .
In a series of tweets , the US president said `` legal transparency was viciously and crudely not allowed '' at some counts in key states , including in Pennsylvania where Joe Biden is leading .
Since election night , Mr Trump has consistently claimed underhand tactics have taken his leads away , including claims of `` ballot dumps '' .
On Saturday , he tweeted : `` Tens of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Election Day , totally and easily changing the results in Pennsylvania and certain other razor thin states .
`` As a separate matter , hundreds of thousands of votes were illegally not allowed to be OBSERVED .
`` This would ALSO change the Election result in numerous States , including Pennsylvania , which everyone thought was easily won on Election Night , only to see a massive lead disappear , without anyone being allowed to OBSERVE , for long intervals of time , what the happened . ''
Mr Trump continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things took place during those hours where LEGAL TRANSPARENCY was viciously & crudely not allowed .
`` Tractors blocked doors & windows were covered with thick cardboard so that observers could not see into the count rooms .
BAD THINGS HAPPENED INSIDE .
BIG CHANGES TOOK PLACE ! ''
Mr Trump 's tweets came as Mr Biden leads in four of the six states yet to declare - Arizona , Georgia , Nevada and Pennsylvania .
The Democrat only needs the latter 's 20 Electoral College votes to add to his existing 253 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will guarantee him the keys to the White House .
The result of the US presidential race is still unknown four days after the election as the vote counting process continues .
The delay in producing a verdict can be attributed to high turnout , a massive number of postal votes and slim margins between the candidates .
There is intense focus on Pennsylvania , where Mr Biden leads Mr Trump by more than 28,000 votes , and Nevada , where Mr Biden is up by about 22,000 .
When Mr Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his home in Wilmington , Delaware , he acknowledged the sluggish pace of the count `` can be numbing '' .
But he added : `` Never forget the tallies are n't just numbers .
They represent votes and voters . ''
He expressed confidence that victory will ultimately be his .
`` The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story .
We 're going to win this race , '' the former vice president said .

Donald Trump has fired off a barrage of tweets with unfounded claims about electoral fraud - including that tens of thousands of votes were illegally cast - as his rival Joe Biden edged closer to victory in the race for the White House.
In a series of posts on Saturday, the US president alleged that "bad things happened" inside counting rooms and "legal transparency was viciously and crudely not allowed" at counts in key states, including in Pennsylvania where Mr Biden is leading.
In one tweet, Mr Trump wrote in capital letters: "I won this election, by a lot", prompting Twitter to issue a warning about the post which said: "Official sources may not have called the race when this was tweeted."
US election 2020: Follow live as Joe Biden becomes the next US president
Since election night, the president has consistently claimed underhand tactics have taken his leads away - without offering any proof.
Following his latest allegations, he said a "big press conference" will be held in Philadelphia at 11.30am (4.30pm UK time).
Twitter flagged several of Mr Trump's claims, saying: "Some or all of the content shared in this tweet is disputed and might be misleading about an election or other civic process".
It came after he had posted: "Tens of thousands of votes were illegally received after 8pm on Tuesday, Election Day, totally and easily changing the results in Pennsylvania and certain other razor thin states.
"As a separate matter, hundreds of thousands of votes were illegally not allowed to be OBSERVED."
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Mr Trump alleged - without offering evidence - that "this would ALSO change the election result in numerous states, including Pennsylvania, which everyone thought was easily won on Election Night, only to see a massive lead disappear, without anyone being allowed to OBSERVE, for long intervals of time, what the happened".
The president continued his tirade, tweeting: "Bad things took place during those hours where LEGAL TRANSPARENCY was viciously & crudely not allowed.
"Tractors blocked doors & windows were covered with thick cardboard so that observers could not see into the count rooms. BAD THINGS HAPPENED INSIDE. BIG CHANGES TOOK PLACE!"
Following Mr Trumps latest claims, Federal Election Commission commissioner Ellen Weintraub insisted there is "no evidence" of voter fraud in the US.
"There is no evidence of any kind of voter fraud," she told CNN. "There is no evidence of illegal votes being cast.
"In fact, and you don't have to take my word for it because people throughout the country, nonpartisan election experts, have come out and hailed this election and how it was run."
Armed protesters continue to gather outside offices where workers are counting votes, including some with shotguns, handguns and military-style semi-automatic rifles.
There have been no reports of anyone getting shot, and the laws in Arizona, Nevada and Michigan - where guns have been seen outside vote-counting centres in recent days - allow people to openly carry firearms in public.
The delay in producing a verdict in the election can be attributed to high turnout, a massive number of postal votes and slim margins between the candidates.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:46 Biden: 'Voters chose change'
The president earlier tweeted that he had "such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by," although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:33 Presidential concession speeches through the years
Senior Republicans have stepped in to warn that the baseless allegations of mass fraud will lead to "destructive and dangerous passions" running high, and urged for vote counting to continue.


skynewsus--2020-11-06--This is the current situation in the battlegrounds states yet to be called

Joe Biden is edging closer to the White House as he maintains leads in four of the six remaining states that are yet to declare in the US election .
Donald Tump is launching legal action in four of them , and Mr Biden has taken overtaken the incumbent president in the crucial state of Pennsylvania .
Mr Biden 's campaign team is said to be feeling `` elated '' about developments - while Mr Trump 's team has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Here is the state of play in the six states which have not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is increasing in the state with each drop of new results .
The former vice-president is just a few bricks short of rebuilding the blue wall that Donald Trump bulldozed four years ago .
He has chiselled a lead of 29,000 votes , with around 90,000 ballots ( excluding provisional ones ) left to count .
More than half of those outstanding are in Democratic leaning Allegheny County and Philadelphia .
Both have been adding around 75 % of their updates to Mr Biden 's total .
Pennsylvania , with its 20 electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the 270 needed to secure the presidency .
There will be a recount in the key swing state after it was announced there will be a margin of a few thousand votes .
Having trailed Mr Trump by 300,000 votes on Wednesday , Mr Biden now has a lead of 4,400 with around 20,000 military and provisional ballots to count .
He owes the size of the margin to Gwinnett County in the Atlanta suburbs , which added 3,000 to it overnight .
But election officials say the contest is so tight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the result for weeks .
If Mr Biden carries Georgia , he would be the first Democratic nominee to do so since Bill Clinton in 1992 , but It seems neither candidate will win the state 's 16 electoral college votes anytime soon .
Mr Biden 's lead in the state that carries 11 electoral college votes is shrinking with every update .
A former healthy margin of 60,000 votes , has halved to less than 30,000 in the last 24 hours and there are still 170,000 ballots to count .
Around half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has voted Republican since 1948 , but where Mr Biden currently has a small lead .
Mr Trump took 55 % of the votes reported there overnight but that is short of the 60 % he needs to prevent the state that was home to Senator John McCain falling into Democratic hands for the first time since 1996 .
Should Mr Biden win in Arizona , then Nevada - the home of gambling - could be his safest bet to reach the 270 winning post .
He has extended an 11,000 vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 120,000 ballots still to count .
Nine in ten of them are in the Las Vegas area , Clark County , which tends to vote Democratic .
The last time Nevada , which carries six electoral college votes , supported a Republican for President was 1988 , the same year Mr Biden made his first bid for the White House .
Pro-Trump protesters in Nevada have been calling for the counting of mail-in ballots , which largely favour Mr Biden , to stop .
Mr Trump is currently ahead by 76,515 in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president is expected to win here , but would also need success in Pennsylvania and three other states to stay in the White House .
The state , which is not a critical battleground , has still not been called either way .
The latest tally has Mr Trump 51,382 votes ahead of his Democratic challenger .
The state , which is worth three electoral college votes , was won by Mr Trump in 2016 .


skynewsus--2020-11-07--Biden predicts election win with a 'clear majority', giving him a 'mandate for action'

Joe Biden says he is on course to win a `` clear majority '' in the US presidential election and take most of the remaining battleground states to push him above 300 Electoral College votes .
As counting continues in a series of nail-biting races , the Democratic candidate claimed he had already got a `` mandate for action '' , seeking to pile pressure on Donald Trump to concede .
He admitted the process of calling a result `` moves very slow '' but urged for an end to `` partisan warfare '' , urging Americans to `` remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work out '' .
Mr Biden is leading in four of the six states yet to declare - Arizona , Georgia , Nevada and Pennsylvania .
He only needs the latter 's 20 Electoral College votes to add to his existing 253 to push him over the 270 line that will guarantee him the keys to the White House .
But Mr Trump , who is ahead in North Carolina and Alaska , is ramping up unsubstantiated and contested claims the election was rigged against him .
`` I had such a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into election night , only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by , '' he tweeted .
`` Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward ! ''
Senior Republicans have stepped in to warn that the baseless allegations of mass fraud will lead to `` destructive and dangerous passions '' running high , and urged for vote counting to continue .
Election administrators are ploughing on with tallying up results .
In some states they are having to wait for deadlines for mail-in ballots and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before declaring a final result , because the margins are razor-thin .
But Mr Biden has tried to present himself as the president-elect - a term already used to describe him by the most senior Democrat in Congress , Nancy Pelosi .
Speaking from his home state of Delaware late on Friday night , the former senator pointed to how he had leapfrogged Mr Trump to take the lead in some states .
`` We 're going to win this race with a clear majority , with the nation behind us , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any presidential candidate ever also gave him a `` mandate for action on COVID , the economy , climate change and systemic racism '' , Mr Biden added .
And striking a reconciliatory tone following protests outside some counting centres by supporters of Mr Trump , he said : `` We do n't have any more time to waste on partisan warfare . ''
The speech sparked some cheers from the crowd , but shouted questions from journalists went unanswered .
Meanwhile the president is holed up in the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Mark Meadows frequently appeared at public events without wearing a face covering - including the Mr Trump 's election night party .
It was there in the early hours of Wednesday that Mr Trump first tried to undermine the result and vowed to take his fight to the Supreme Court .
While a recount gets under way in Georgia , a local Republican official there overseeing the count , Gabriel Sterling , said `` we 're not seeing any widespread irregularities '' .
And the Democrat mayor of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What the president needs to do is put his big boy pants on , he needs to acknowledge the fact that he lost and he needs to congratulate the winner . ''
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tried not to wade into the row about the legitimacy of the election .
But he said he has `` every confidence '' in the checks and balances of the US system and promised to `` work closely '' with whoever wins .
Analysis : Already a sense the Biden era has begun By Greg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't the victory speech that Joe Biden had hoped to deliver to the American people at primetime on a Friday night , it was certainly a striking proclamation of the very different direction he is offering the country .
The soon-to-be president-elect , standing alongside his vice presidential pick Kamala Harris , had been expected to merely provide a progress report on the state of the slow march to an election result .
Instead , on COVID-19 , the economy , climate change and the divisions in society , he offered the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can expect from his administration .
We have heard much of it before , on the campaign trail and since Election Night , but the Biden-Harris project is now looking like it will be a reality for the American people come January .
He mentioned Donald Trump by name just once - to boast about the vote margin - but there was no mistaking his belief that America has spent four years on the wrong path .
If the verbal stumbles and uncertainties that are part of the Biden package were sometimes noticeable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what the country needs right now .
He did what presidents usually do : Faced up to the crises gripping the country , empathised with the victims and promised to work towards a way out .
The intent was clear : To project himself as the president-in- waiting , filling the vacuum left by the current occupant of the White House , as he spends his time ranting and raving about the election result .
Who would n't agree with Biden 's call for the vitriol to be taken out of political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy call to make but , in today 's America , a very different proposition to deliver .
The reality is that there are thousands of supporters of Donald Trump who are unwilling to even accept that Biden will be a legitimate president .
They are making their views plain and many of them are determined to hound Biden in office just as they believe the current president has been unfairly attacked by his political opponents .
No-one is going to heal those divisions overnight .
We can only hope that Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious about bridging the divide .
Even before the result has been declared , there is a sense that the Biden era has already begun .

Joe Biden says he is on course to win a "clear majority" in the US presidential election and take most of the remaining battleground states to push him above 300 Electoral College votes.
As counting continues in a series of nail-biting races, the Democratic candidate claimed he had already got a "mandate for action", seeking to pile pressure on Donald Trump to concede.
He admitted the process of calling a result "moves very slow" but urged for an end to "partisan warfare", urging Americans to "remain calm, patient and let the process work out".
US election 2020 live: Follow the latest updates
Mr Biden is leading in four of the six states yet to declare - Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
He only needs the latter's 20 Electoral College votes to add to his existing 253 to push him over the 270 line that will guarantee him the keys to the White House.
But Mr Trump, who is ahead in North Carolina and Alaska, is ramping up unsubstantiated and contested claims the election was rigged against him.
"I had such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by," he tweeted.
"Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward!"
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Image: Donald Trump has vowed to take his fight to the Supreme Court
Senior Republicans have stepped in to warn that the baseless allegations of mass fraud will lead to "destructive and dangerous passions" running high, and urged for vote counting to continue.
Election administrators are ploughing on with tallying up results.
Image: Counting continues in six states
In some states they are having to wait for deadlines for mail-in ballots and those from overseas voters to reach them before declaring a final result, because the margins are razor-thin.
But Mr Biden has tried to present himself as the president-elect - a term already used to describe him by the most senior Democrat in Congress, Nancy Pelosi.
Speaking from his home state of Delaware late on Friday night, the former senator pointed to how he had leapfrogged Mr Trump to take the lead in some states.
"We're going to win this race with a clear majority, with the nation behind us," he predicted.
Image: The of a nail-biting race for the White House is in sight
Winning the most votes of any presidential candidate ever also gave him a "mandate for action on COVID, the economy, climate change and systemic racism", Mr Biden added.
And striking a reconciliatory tone following protests outside some counting centres by supporters of Mr Trump, he said: "We don't have any more time to waste on partisan warfare."
The speech sparked some cheers from the crowd, but shouted questions from journalists went unanswered.
Meanwhile the president is holed up in the White House, where his chief-of-staff has tested positive for coronavirus.
Mark Meadows frequently appeared at public events without wearing a face covering - including the Mr Trump's election night party.
It was there in the early hours of Wednesday that Mr Trump first tried to undermine the result and vowed to take his fight to the Supreme Court.
While a recount gets under way in Georgia, a local Republican official there overseeing the count, Gabriel Sterling, said "we're not seeing any widespread irregularities".
And the Democrat mayor of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania Jim Kenny, told Sky News: "What the president needs to do is put his big boy pants on, he needs to acknowledge the fact that he lost and he needs to congratulate the winner."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tried not to wade into the row about the legitimacy of the election.
But he said he has "every confidence" in the checks and balances of the US system and promised to "work closely" with whoever wins.
Analysis: Already a sense the Biden era has begun
By Greg Milam, US correspondent
Image: Mr Biden spoke of healing the rifts in American society
If it wasn't the victory speech that Joe Biden had hoped to deliver to the American people at primetime on a Friday night, it was certainly a striking proclamation of the very different direction he is offering the country.
The soon-to-be president-elect, standing alongside his vice presidential pick Kamala Harris, had been expected to merely provide a progress report on the state of the slow march to an election result.
Instead, on COVID-19, the economy, climate change and the divisions in society, he offered the American people a real glimpse of what they can expect from his administration.
We have heard much of it before, on the campaign trail and since Election Night, but the Biden-Harris project is now looking like it will be a reality for the American people come January.
He mentioned Donald Trump by name just once - to boast about the vote margin - but there was no mistaking his belief that America has spent four years on the wrong path.
If the verbal stumbles and uncertainties that are part of the Biden package were sometimes noticeable, there was no mistaking his belief in what the country needs right now.
He did what presidents usually do: Faced up to the crises gripping the country, empathised with the victims and promised to work towards a way out.
The intent was clear: To project himself as the president-in- waiting, filling the vacuum left by the current occupant of the White House, as he spends his time ranting and raving about the election result.
Who wouldn't agree with Biden's call for the vitriol to be taken out of political and social discourse? It is an easy call to make but, in today's America, a very different proposition to deliver.
The reality is that there are thousands of supporters of Donald Trump who are unwilling to even accept that Biden will be a legitimate president.
They are making their views plain and many of them are determined to hound Biden in office just as they believe the current president has been unfairly attacked by his political opponents.
No-one is going to heal those divisions overnight. We can only hope that Biden is true to his word that he is serious about bridging the divide.
Even before the result has been declared, there is a sense that the Biden era has already begun.


skynewsus--2020-11-07--White House Chief of Staff diagnosed with coronavirus

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been diagnosed with coronavirus .
Mr Meadows was at a White House party on election night and was seen without a mask .
He has frequently appeared at events without a face covering and accompanied the president in the final days of the campaign rallies .
Mr Meadows last appeared in public on Wednesday morning , again without a mask , as the president attempted to claim victory in the election .
The diagnosis was confirmed on Friday by two senior White House officials .
Another top campaign official , Nick Trainer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source told the Reuters news agency .
Mr Meadows ' condition and the circumstances of how he might have become infected are so far unclear .
He is the latest of Mr Trump 's inner circle to test positive .
Before the latest two cases were confirmed , 28 people connected to the Trump administration or their contacts had tested positive for COVID-19 in late September or early October , according to NBC News .
At least 14 of those cases had attended the event in the Rose Garden of the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Coney Barrett on 26 September .
They included President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump , press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , Mr Trump 's adviser Chris Christie , former presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway and senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis .
Guests at the event were seen hugging , fist-bumping and not wearing masks .
Top US infectious diseases expert , Dr Anthony Fauci , later described it as a `` superspreader event '' .
Others in Mr Trump 's inner circle who contracted the virus were his son Barron , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president 's chief of staff Marc Short .
There have been more than 236,000 coronavirus-linked deaths in the US so far this year , according to Johns Hopkins University , and new cases have increased significantly in the last two weeks .
The US seven-day average is now around 95,000 per day .
Joe Biden - speaking on Friday evening as he appeared on the brink of winning the election - said cases were `` skyrocketing '' .
`` I want everyone to know that on day one , we are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus into action , '' he said .
`` That ca n't save any of the lives that have been lost , but it will save a lot of lives in the months ahead . ''
Mr Trump has argued that travel restrictions he brought in at the start of the pandemic saved thousands of lives .
However , his early refusal to wear a mask is one of many things criticised by those opposed to his handling of the crisis .

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
Mr Meadows was at a White House party on election night and was seen without a mask.
He has frequently appeared at events without a face covering and accompanied the president in the final days of the campaign rallies.
US election 2020 live: Follow the latest updates
Mr Meadows last appeared in public on Wednesday morning, again without a mask, as the president attempted to claim victory in the election.
The diagnosis was confirmed on Friday by two senior White House officials.
Another top campaign official, Nick Trainer, has also tested positive, a source told the Reuters news agency.
Mr Meadows' condition and the circumstances of how he might have become infected are so far unclear.
He is the latest of Mr Trump's inner circle to test positive.
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Before the latest two cases were confirmed, 28 people connected to the Trump administration or their contacts had tested positive for COVID-19 in late September or early October, according to NBC News.
At least 14 of those cases had attended the event in the Rose Garden of the White House for Mr Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on 26 September.
They included President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Mr Trump's adviser Chris Christie, former presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway and senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis.
Image: At least 11 people at a White House event in September also tested positive
Guests at the event were seen hugging, fist-bumping and not wearing masks.
Top US infectious diseases expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, later described it as a "superspreader event".
Others in Mr Trump's inner circle who contracted the virus were his son Barron, national security adviser Robert O'Brien and the vice president's chief of staff Marc Short.
There have been more than 236,000 coronavirus-linked deaths in the US so far this year, according to Johns Hopkins University, and new cases have increased significantly in the last two weeks.
The US seven-day average is now around 95,000 per day.
Joe Biden - speaking on Friday evening as he appeared on the brink of winning the election - said cases were "skyrocketing".
"I want everyone to know that on day one, we are going to put our plan to control this virus into action," he said.
"That can't save any of the lives that have been lost, but it will save a lot of lives in the months ahead."
Mr Trump has argued that travel restrictions he brought in at the start of the pandemic saved thousands of lives.
However, his early refusal to wear a mask is one of many things criticised by those opposed to his handling of the crisis.