Title: The Process for Contesting an Election
Headings: Contesting an Election
Contesting an Election
How Does a Candidate Contest an Election?
Laws on Contesting Elections Vary by State
Federal Contested Elections Act
When Can Congress Intervene in Presidential Elections?
If the Governor and the State Legislature Send Different Results
If Neither Candidate Secures a Majority Vote
If a State Doesn't Certify the Votes by the Safe Harbor Deadline
When Does the Supreme Court Get Involved in Contested Elections?
Contested Elections, Significant Outcomes

Content: For instance, the landmark case of Bush v. Gore (discussed below) went to the Supreme Court because the claimants alleged violation of the equal protection clause. Contested Elections, Significant Outcomes
Many election challenges take place in low-stakes local elections, such as In Re: the Contested Election of Dennis Hale. But a contested election can have major consequences. In 2008, incumbent Norm Coleman beat his challenger in the Minnesota U.S. Senate race, Al Franken, by only a few hundred votes, triggering a mandatory recount. Over eight months, votes were recounted, lawsuits filed and tried, and a number of wrongly rejected absentee ballots finally turned the tide in favor of Franken. But the most significant contested election in recent times was the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. An early tally of votes in Florida — which held a crucial 25 electoral votes — showed Bush leading by about 1,700 votes. The margin was slim enough to trigger an automatic recount. Three weeks later, the Florida secretary of state declared Bush the winner.