Election lawsuits could change election process

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The lawsuits that were filed over the presidential election probably won’t change the outcome, but they could change some other things about future election. President Donald Trump continues to insist that he won the election as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to address the nation on the economy.

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Implications of the election lawsuits

Chris Haynes, an associate professor of political science at the University of New Haven, tells ValueWalk that some of the election lawsuits could have some merit, but none of them can change the outcome of the election. As a result, he expects most of them to be thrown out and none of them to reach the Supreme Court. However, the election lawsuits could have other implications.

"Moving forward, there is a chance that these legal challenges could help shape or motivate the passage of new election laws that deal with the process of handling ballots and the receipt of election ballots after the election," Haynes told ValueWalk in an email. "However, none of this is to say that these efforts will decisively change the electoral counts in any of the battleground states. The margins in these states are far too large and courts are extremely reluctant to throw out votes that have already been counted. The bottom line is these legal efforts are likely going nowhere."

Haynes added that Trump has almost no chance to win because he would have to overtake Biden in Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania by getting lucky in the state recounts, although they usually only change as much as a few hundreds of votes. He would also have to convince the courts to invalidate votes that were already counted, which they usually don't do.

"His campaign would have to prove fraud, irregularities, or issues on a scale never seen in our country or any modern democracy," Haynes said. "Thus, it would take a miracle at this point for Trump to win."

How long will the controversy last?

Haynes said the controversy over the election will last as long as Trump wants it to last. After he decides to exit, the GSA will certify the election and initiate the transition process.

"The worst-case scenario, which is unlikely, is that Trump refuses to leave and has to be dragged out by the Secret Service," he explained. "In the process, Trump’s unwillingness to help with the transition would have put our country in danger by hobbling the new Biden administration in terms of being ready to take on all existing and new challenges and threats facing the country. The result could be that those who wish our country harm, such as terrorists and adversaries, could take advantage of the confusion and rocky transition to bring harm to our country."