There Will Be No Recount in Arizona

There are still people who are expecting, or praying for, a change in fortunes in the Presidential race in Arizona, either by recount or contest. Let me put that idea to rest now: it’s NOT going to happen.

Here’s why: For an automatic recount in Arizona, a race must be within either 1/10th of 1%, or 200 votes, whichever is LESS. Since there are going to be about 3.4 million votes for President, the target number would be 200 votes. That’s just not going to happen, no matter how narrow the race becomes.

Most likely, an election contest will be filed, at some point after the results of the Arizona election have been declared. A contest can be brought by any elector, which means any wackadoodle willing to put up a filing fee can present a contest to the Superior Court. So that will likely happen.

And be quickly dismissed.

In order to contest an election an allegation of one of the following grounds must be alleged – and most important – evidence thereof presented:

1. Misconduct by a person participating in the canvass;
2. The person elected was not eligible for the office;
3. Someone gave or received a bribe for their vote;
4. Illegal votes.
5. The winner did not in fact receive the highest number of votes.

Presenting any proof of such allegations will be required, and reviewed by the courts. The likelihood of any appreciable number of votes being so affected is pretty much nil. I guarantee that any contest will not get past a summary judgment.

So Trump can bellyache and whine like the toddler he is, but the judgment of Arizona’s voters will not be substituted by that of his precious Supreme – or any other – Court.

By Thanksgiving, Trump’s bird will be cooked and there will be intolerable pressure for the transition to commence. He will retreat to Mara Lago and do his damnedest to destroy everything within reach.

We have survived 4 years of his malicious sabotage of our country; I strongly believe we’ll survive two more months. It’s going to be a rough ride, no doubt, and there will be a body count associated with his efforts, but this country is greater and stronger than Donald Trump’s fragile ego.