Will Donald Trump pay $8M upfront for Wisconsin recount? Cost is 4 times more than 2016 due to Covid-19 pandemic
President Donald Trump’s chances of scripting a turnaround in the presidential election held this month are fading with each passing day. Although the incumbent has refused to concede defeat against Democrat Joe Biden claiming the election to be stolen, his legal moves have not been able to bring any result in his favor. In the key state of Pennsylvania, a major firm pulled out of a Trump campaign case seeking to throw out the mail-in ballots, delivering another blow to the incumbent.
In Wisconsin, another crucial state that the Republicans needed to win this year to extend his stay at the White House, he has faced no better experience. It has been told that Trump will have to pay a whopping $7.9 million if he wants a statewide recount of unofficial results in the Badger State where he has lost narrowly to Biden – by 20,500 votes, Associated Press reported. Trump won Wisconsin as the first Republican since 1984 (he won by 0.7 percent) but could not pocket the state’s 10 Electoral College votes this time.
Rise of recount cost because of coronavirus pandemic
The big recount price is four times more than what it was four years ago and the AP report cited election officials saying that the rise in the cost was because of the expenses related to conducting the recount during the coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc in the country.
Counties had time till Tuesday, November 17, to certify the results of the controversy-ridden election. If the last county canvass is not filed till the final day, Trump would have time till 5 pm on Wednesday, November 18, to request for the recount, the report added. The recount could then begin as early as Thursday, November 19, and be concluded no later than December 1.
On Monday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission unveiled the recount timeline and estimate of the expenses – based on the costs that were filed by the 72 counties.
“We still have not received any indication that there will or will not be a recount,” Meagan Wolfe, the state's chief election official was quoted as saying. “But we want Wisconsin's voters to know we are ready.” She also said the cost of the recount was higher this year because of pandemic-related reasons, like larger spaces to observe social distancing, the security of the spaces, a higher number of absentee ballots, renting high-speed ballot-scanning machinery, etc.
The state’s election officials have said that no irregularities have been found or widespread problems reported despite Trump making such claims.
Voters withdraw lawsuits seeking exclusion of some ballots
Meanwhile, three voters who filed federal lawsuits last week seeking to exclude some ballots in the three Wisconsin cities of Milwaukee, Menominee and Dane – withdrew their lawsuits separately on Monday.
Although Trump has been raising funds and gave hints that he will go ahead with the recount, flipping Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes would not be sufficient to change the overall outcome of the contest.
Anna Kelly, the president’s campaign spokesperson in Wisconsin, did not immediately respond to AP’s message seeking a remark on the raised cost of the recount. Recounts are not automatic under the state’s law but any candidate who is losing within a point from the winner can request one. As per unofficial results, Trump lost to Biden by 0.7 points. Candidates have to pay for the recounts if they are more than 0.25 points behind the winner.
Till around the middle of Monday, 68 of 72 counties completed certification of the vote. The results, which include provisional ballots that were counted after Election Day, show the former vice president picking up 122 votes while Trump gained 107 statewide.
In 2016, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein paid $3.5 million in advance for the recount and after the exercise cost $2 million, she was refunded the remaining amount.