Georgia Recount Confirms 'the Verdict of the People'

Georgia certified its presidential election results Friday, after a recount confirmed President-elect Joe Biden's victory Nov. 3 over President Trump. "I believe that the numbers that we have presented today are correct," said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. "The numbers reflect the verdict of the people." The initial, machine count showed Biden received 12,670 more votes than Trump, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The second, manual count found Biden up 12,284 votes. The results didn't change in any county by more than 0.73% in the recount. Raffensperger's action makes the results official. Later in the day, Gov. Brian Kemp certified the state's 16 electors, per the AP. Both officials are Republicans.

Biden is the first Democrat to carry Georgia in a presidential election since 1992. Because the margin is so thin, there could be a second recount. Trump has until the end of Tuesday to request one; it would be paid for by the state. Kemp announced earlier Friday that he would issue his certification, as Georgia law requires, after Raffensperger certified the count. “As governor, I have a solemn responsibility to follow the law," Kemp said, per the Washington Post. That action, he said, "paves the way for the Trump campaign to pursue other legal options and a separate legal option if they choose." (More Georgia stories.)