What was originally planned to be an election night has quickly turned into an election week as the Trump campaign has requested a recount in Wisconsin and may also wish to have one in other battleground states.

As of today, Michigan and Wisconsin have been called for Joe Biden with the possibility of Arizona and Nevada also swinging in favor of the Democrat's. Trump's campaign has already filed lawsuits in a handful of swing states over allegations that observers were barred from observing ballots. Also, these lawsuits request that states stop counting ballots for fear that they have been submitted past the close of polls.

Arguably, Trump's best bet to win the election is to request recounts in states where the outcome is incredibly close. For Wisconsin, as long as Trump finishes within one percentage point of Joe Biden he may request a recount. If it turns out to be close than a percentage point, say a quarter of a percent or less, Trump will be able to have ballots recounted for free when it normally costs millions of dollars.

Another state to keep a close eye on is Georgia, where the race has tightened considerably since Tuesday night, creating a great deal of angst for the Trump campaign, which betted on the state as being an easy Republican stronghold. Under Georgia's laws, recounts may be requested if the margin is 0.5 percent.

Arizona, Nevada remain in play for a potential Trump victory

Looking at the western U.S., Arizona, and Nevada remain in play for a possible Trump victory with only 86% of the vote counted in Arizona and 89% in Nevada. While Arizona requires an extremely slim margin to force a recount, about one-tenth of one percent, Nevada allows candidates to request a recount no matter the margin, all that matters is whether the candidate can cover the cost.

It is unknown at this point as to how close the race will be in Arizona. If the margin is greater than one percent, Trump will be forced to take the issue through the court as a case of voter fraud which could potentially lead to a recount.

Of course, this is all a big 'what if.' Biden could take Arizona, Nevada, and even Georgia by day's end, which will make the victory much harder for Trump to obtain. There is one clear fact to come out of this election, however, distrust of the American electoral process seems to be at an all-time high as voters in both camps question the validity of results.

It is safe to assume that this distrust will continue to be a factor heading into 2024, pointing to a wider crisis in American society.

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