Elections

Wisconsin Officials Confirm Election Results for Biden

By Will Kenneally

November 30, 2020

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Joe Biden

Joe Biden at a drive-in rally at Cellairis Amphitheatre - Atlanta, GA - Oct. 27, 2020. (Courtesy: Adam Schultz / Biden for President)


Joe Biden is officially the winner of Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes after Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Ann Jacobs signed off on the state’s recount Monday.

The recount of Democratic strongholds Dane and Milwaukee counties yielded a small change, with Biden increasing his lead over President Donald Trump by fewer than 100 votes.

A winner was officially “determined” by Jacobs, who forwarded the results to the governor to approve the results and the 10 Wisconsinites who will represent the state in the electoral college.

“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,” elections commission administrator Meagan Wolfe said.

Gov. Tony Evers signed off on the state’s electoral college delegation late Monday—which includes himself, Democratic state legislators, and the state party chair. The group will cast Wisconsin’s electoral votes at the state Capitol Dec 14.

At a commission meeting Tuesday, Jacobs will certify the results of the other races from the November election.

Jacobs, a Democratic appointee, signed off on the presidential results a day before the state’s deadline of Dec. 1, saying she wanted to allow for any litigation around the results to happen as quickly as possible. Under state law, a candidate can appeal the results of the recount in state court within five business days of the results being officially determined.

Commissioner Bob Spindell, a Republican appointee, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that approving the results a day early was “completely inappropriate” and said Jacobs was “trying to pull a fast one.”

This also comes amid litigation before the state Supreme Court seeking to throw out the election results and have the state Legislature decide who represents the state in the electoral college. The suit alleges some of the processes election officials have used in multiple elections run afoul of state law.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said Monday however, the partial recount of two Wisconsin counties show the election was handled professionally and securely.

“The continuing baseless attacks on the integrity of our election system are, however, causing untold harm,” Kaul, who is also an elected Democrat, said.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court accepted briefs in the election case Friday, and is deciding whether to hear the case with original jurisdiction.

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