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Election 2020: What's next?

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Posted at 9:31 PM, Nov 08, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-09 00:19:23-05

Despite legal challenges from the Trump campaign, the process for President-elect Joe Biden to get into the White House is moving along.

Here is the timeline for what's next:

December 8 - Deadline for states must resolve any election disputes. All state recounts and court contests over presidential election results are to be completed by this date.

December 14 - Electors cast their votes

January 6 - The senate and house meet for a joint session to count the votes and declare the results.

January 20 - Inauguration day, the president is sworn in.

In Arizona, once the ballots are counted, each county recorder sends the final votes to the secretary of state.

FULL RESULTS: Track latest election results in Arizona

"They're recorded there by the secretary of state and she does what is called a canvass, and then that canvass has to be signed off by the secretary of state, attorney general and Governor Doug Ducey, said Tom Ryan, an election law attorney.

Ryan said usually after a race is called and the defeated candidate concedes, the General Services Administration or-- GSA--steps in. The agency helps transition Biden in, and Trump out of the White House.

"We have to worry about the pandemic, we have to worry about the economy, we have to worry about our national security, there's a lot that goes on, and if we're depriving our newfound president of those transition services, we're doing a disservice to our country," said Ryan.

President Trump has been threatening legal action, citing voter fraud and calling for recounts in some states. In Arizona, a lawsuit was filed claiming Maricopa County poll workers incorrectly rejected votes on election day. Sunday, ABC15 learned that one of the firms representing the Trump campaign and the RNC, Snell & Wilmer, filed a notice of withdrawal of counsel. The judge needs to grant the withdrawal.

"In order for there to be a successful lawsuit you need two things one- you need facts, verifiable facts and two -- you need the law in your favor. Unfortunately for President Trump, he has neither of those things," said Ryan.

Arizona's Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has repeatedly said that she's seen no evidence of voter fraud or irregularities in the state.