SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Election Day has passed, but the votes for president in Pennsylvania are still being counted. Due to the increase in mail-in and absentee ballots this year, many counties are faced with the challenge of counting those ballots.
In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, there are over 35,000 ballots waiting to be counted, according to County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. These ballots may end up being the deciding factor for which presidential candidate will take the second largest county in the state.
With different federal lawsuits already filed, the ballots that have to be counted may also need to go before a federal court.
“In that 35,000 ballots to be looked at, 29,000 ballots have been looked at by federal courts to not be handled or processed until 5 o’clock on Friday,” Fitzgerald said.
The amount of mail-in and absentee ballots increased during this election cycle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This creates the special challenge of counting all those ballots that usually would have been counted on Election Day.
Pennsylvania, a key swing state for both candidates, could become the deciding factor for which campaign reaches 270 electoral votes first.
Vice President Biden’s campaign manager Jen O’ Malley Dillon is hopeful for Biden’s chances when it comes to counting the mail-in ballots.
“We need to make sure that we continue the count there and that count is underway, and we’re going to be patient and wait for it, but our path forward is a path to victory in Pennsylvania,” Dillon said.
President Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, said the campaign will not leave until they witness every vote being counted.
“What is going on in this city? What are you hiding? Open up the doors, let us in, let us six feet away so we can have a free and fair election,” Lewandowski said.
The accusation of election fraud has been an issue since the beginning of campaign season, especially with the increase in mail in ballots.
The counting of votes is done by poll workers, the public and any other party that wants to watch, according to County Executive Fitzgerald.
The results of who will win Pennsylvania, Vice President Biden or President Trump, will not be decided until all ballots from mail-in, absentee and from Election Day are counted.
