Election officials give possible recount timeline, still no official request from Trump campaign
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) says the Trump campaign has not yet official requested a recount.
But if, and when that happens, the campaign must pay the $7.9 million dollar estimated cost first.
“We still have not received any indication that there will or will not be a recount,” said Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsin’s chief election official, in a news release. “But we want Wisconsin’s voters to know we are ready.”
Milwaukee County election leaders certified their results this morning.
“For over the last week-and-a-half our staff has been working around the clock," said Julietta Henry, director of the Milwaukee County Election Commission.
Henry said their portion of the statewide recount would be about $2 million.
“The recount is also to move all this equipment," she explained. "We have to pay someone to do that, all of the supplies to the location to also move the equipment because we will be utilizing the high-speed voting equipment that the city owns. They’re going to rent that to us for that purpose. It’s to move everything, to set up everything. It’s for the parking of the poll workers, it’s for us to provide them with a meal a day, so all of that is considered. It’s for the AV, it’s for us to be able to Zoom the meeting."
In a later release, the Milwaukee Election Commission said the elections did vary from the unofficial totals from election night.
"The results of the canvass showed that tallies for the two presidential candidates only changed by the number of provisional ballots received for each candidate: 19 for Biden and 2 for Trump. With 19 provisional ballots, Biden’s tally increased from 317,251 to 317,270. Two provisional ballots for Trump increased his count from 134,355 to 134,357," according to the release.
The Trump campaign has until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, to file for a recount in Wisconsin.
Once received, state officials say it will then start the next day.
Below is a recount timeline breakdown from the WEC:
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020 – The last county canvass is received. There are several counties outstanding, and some have indicated they will not be finished before Nov. 17.
Wednesday, Nov. 18 by 5 p.m. – The deadline for the aggrieved presidential candidate to file for a recount and submit payment.
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020 – The Commission Chair issues the Recount Order. This starts the 13-day recount clock and is also the first day that recount boards can meet.
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020 at 9 a.m. – The deadline by which county boards of canvassers must convene for the recount (no later than 9 a.m. on the third day after the recount order is issued).
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 – The deadline to complete the recount. This is also the deadline, under Wisconsin law, for WEC to certify results from the General Election. Therefore, recounts must be completed and results must be filed with WEC by noon on Dec. 1, 2020.
In 2017, Wisconsin lawmakers changed the recount law to shorten the time candidates can request a recount.