Wisconsin Determines Election Results in Favor of Biden Following Partial Recount

Trump campaign to appeal

A election worker handles ballots in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 20, 2020. Andy Manis/Getty Images

The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) on Monday signed paperwork to determine the state’s 2020 presidential election results, which fell in favor of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden after a partial recount in two counties, Milwaukee and Dane.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, announced later Monday that he signed the certificate of ascertainment, which formally awards electoral votes to Biden.

Meagan Wolfe, administrator of the WEC and Wisconsin’s chief election official, said that WEC Chairperson Ann Jacobs is not certifying the presidential race.

“This is a very different process than for the other contests on the November 3 ballot where the WEC Chair does determine the winner and issues certificates of election. There is no certificate of election in a presidential contest,” Wolfe said.

The law requires that the chair determine the result, or the numbers, of the recount and the contest based on the certified result statements submitted by each of the 72 counties, according to an announcement from the WEC.

Wolfe said that the determination or the statement of ascertainment can be modified if ordered by a court upon appeal.

“This determination is what can be appealed. If there is not a determination, then parties to a recount do not have anything to appeal,” the announcement read.

The Trump campaign now has five days to appeal the results, which has shown a gain of 87 votes for Biden. The campaign has alleged that there was widespread fraud and illegal activity in the state, and promised it will file a lawsuit to challenge the results.

On Saturday, Trump said he would file a lawsuit either on Monday or Tuesday seeking to disqualify as many as 238,000 ballots.

The president wrote on Nov. 28​, “The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday. We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!”

Milwaukee and Dane counties started recounts after the WEC approved Trump campaign’s request for a recount, at a cost of $3 million to the campaign. While Dane County’s recount saw a 45 vote gain for Trump, Milwaukee County saw a 132 net gain for Biden. Results show Biden in the lead by more than 20,680 votes, or about 0.7 percentage points.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul Josh Kaul said in a statement on Monday, “With the partial recount of the presidential election compete, there remains no question that, as usual, this year’s general election in Wisconsin was conducted professionally and securely. There’s no basis at all for any assertion that there was widespread fraud that would have affected the results.”

Republican elections commissioner Bob Spindell said that a final certification of the results would not take place until all legal challenges are resolved.

“To clarify, today the Wis Elec Com Chair will ’make determination‘ of elect & recount - NOT A ’CERTIFICATION' allowing party 5 days to file appeal of this Determination. After resolution of appeal only then can WEC Commissioners meet to certify election. Will keep you informed!” he announced on Twitter.

Two lawsuits were filed in Wisconsin last week seeking to disqualify ballots. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has not taken action on the cases.

Earlier on Monday, Arizona officials certified Biden’s win in the state. Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes while Arizona has 11. Trump won both states in 2016 but lost to Biden this election, according to the contested results.

Biden has declared victory in presidential election and media outlets have begun referring to him as “president-elect.”

The Epoch Times won’t declare a winner of the 2020 presidential election until all results are certified and any legal challenges are resolved.

The Electoral College is scheduled to vote on Dec. 14 to decide the outcome of the race. The votes will be counted during the Jan. 6, 2021 Joint Session of Congress in Washington.