US 2020 Election Likely To Be 'Most Litigated' In American History - Ex-Inspector

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th November, 2020) This year's US presidential election will be the most litigated in the country's history, former election official in the state of California Bill Boerum told Sputnik.

President Joe Biden is creeping towards the 270 electoral votes required to win the presidency, however, at least four states are too close to call and continue counting ballots. The Trump campaign has filed several lawsuits in five states to halt vote counting of any ballots received after the November 3 election date.

"This election will be the most litigated," said Boerum, who was an Election Inspector, supervising official in Sonoma County in California.

Current disputes between US President Donald trump and Biden includes several states and different procedures, including validation of ballots and counting, the expert noted.

The previously most litigated elections took place in 1876, when Republican Rutherford Hayes won over Democrat Samuel Tilden and in 2000, when Republican George Bush took a lead over Al Gore, Boerum reminded.

"The 2000 election involved only the state of Florida and only nine of the counties in the state," Boerum said.

"Recounts take many weeks and usually - depending on state law - cannot be undertaken unless the margin of difference is 1 percent or under. Then there can be challenges by either or both sides to the method of the re-count," he added.

However, all certifications of who carried the state need to be resolved before December 14 when the Electoral College meets in each state, he reminded.

There are different scenarios when the case may come to the US Supreme Court, but campaigns have about a week to file a claim, Boerum said.

"The Court will have to rule on the issues before the meeting date of the Electoral College on December 14, otherwise that state's electoral vote will not be counted," he added. "An underlying factor is that Chief Justice John Roberts does not like to involve the Court in matters which are seen as political or having an effect which has a political impact."

If no candidate receives the required 270 electoral votes, the US House of Representative will have to make a final decision on the winner, where each state gets one vote, Boerum said.