[Ads-l] "Ascertainment" - a technical election term

[Andy Bach]

I saw the headline
GSA to Ascertain Biden as Presidential Election Winner

and I thought that was an odd use of ascertain, which I think of more
as discover rather than certify. A number of articles mention the fact
that GSA has not made an "ascertainment"  or have the headline "What
is ascertainment".

Apparently it's in the 1963 Presidential Transition Act
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-78/pdf/STATUTE-78-Pg153.pdf
The terms "President-elect" and "Vice-President-elect" as used in this
Act shall mean such persons as are the apparent successful candidates
for the office of President and Vice President, respectively, as
_ascertained_ by the Administrator following the general elections
held to determine the electors of President and Vice President in
accordance with title 3, United States Code

Though not as a noun.

-- 

a

Andy Bach,
afbach at gmail.com
608 658-1890 cell
608 261-5738 wk

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