Below is an update on the latest on the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the most up to date information I have at hand regarding recounts and the status of legal actions taken pertaining to the Presidential election.
North Carolina yesterday recorded 3,288 new COVID-19 cases, the second-highest single day of new cases since the start of the pandemic behind only this past Saturday. The state reported 8 COVID-related deaths on Monday and 1,501 individuals are currently hospitalized – the highest total ever. You can find the latest statistics about the pandemic in North Carolina here.
Earlier today, the state launched a color-coded alert system by county to help residents understand the status of the outbreak in their communities. The classifications are based on metrics recommended by the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the state’s own measurements to place counties in three categories:
Yellow, indicating significant community spread.
Orange, indicating substantial community spread.
Red, indicating critical community spread.
More about the new system and its metrics is available here.
A map of the current ratings by county is below:
Regarding the 2020 Presidential election: President Trump and his team are continuing to exercise their right to explore legal avenues to help ensure that the outcome of the election is legitimate and that any fraud and corruption is uncovered and proven. Litigation is ongoing in states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. An audit that has turned up thousands of previously-uncounted votes is underway in Georgia as well as the state’s recount which has to be completed by tomorrow night. Meanwhile, a recount may take place in Wisconsin.
I do not know what the outcome of any of these efforts will be, and I do not know whether any of them will affect the outcome of the election. I do know, as Leader McConnell said last week, we have a duty to ensure the sanctity of our democratic process by counting every legal ballot and throwing out every illegally-cast ballot. Our states, our Constitution and our court systems have prescribed processes to address these issues.
Most states will not actually certify the results of their elections until later this month and in some cases not until December. It is both prudent and appropriate to let these processes run their course before we prejudge an outcome. Some of these lawsuits may eventually end up before the Supreme Court, and no one knows what the outcome would be at this point. Many are speculating — but at the moment, that’s all it is.
Vice President Al Gore pursued his legal options in 2000 and delayed a decision until that December once the judicial process was exhausted. The ultimate objective should always be to ensure that we have an election outcome that we can all have confidence in. That can only happen with transparency and the patience to let all of this play out. There is a reason why Electors do not meet until December 14th and the swearing-in date is January 20th.
