Certifying The Vote Should Just Be A Formality. But Trump Is Fighting To Delay The Process.

WAMU 88.5 | By Haili Blassingame

Published November 23, 2020 at 2:01 PM CST

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum swears in new canvasser Richard Fine (Republican), before reviewing bins of ballot tabulations in Mason, Michigan.

All eyes have been on Michigan since the two Republicans on the Wayne County Board of Canvassers at first refused to certify the votes for the county, then decided to certify them, then later came back with affidavits saying they regretted certifying the votes.

What should’ve been a routine part of the election process turned into a several-day drama. The Michigan State Board of Canvassers — the board that has the final say on certification in the state — certified the votes on Monday.

And after that certification, Emily Murphy of the General Services Administration has finally acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and allowed him to begin the formal transition process.

With certification deadlines coming up in several key states, many questions loom.

We’re getting down to the basics of the vote certification process. When will the vote in key states be certified? And what will happen if it’s not?