By all accounts, it is unlikely Americans will go to bed on Election Day knowing who their next president will be. As polls show a dead heat between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in the final days of the race, news outlets are preparing an anxious nation for the likelihood that election night will stretch into an election week.
Misinformation about everything from ballot stuffing to voting machines has gone viral on social media in the days leading up to the Nov. 5 election. This has forced election officials and news organizations to be even more transparent with how votes are counted and how they plan to project winners in the high-stakes election.
Most major media outlets around the country rely on organizations like The Associated Press, the National Election Pool, and Decision Desk HQ to crunch the numbers and make race calls. The AP, an independent news collective with a long history of calling elections, plans to deploy roughly 4,000 vote reporters to precincts across the country to be its eyes and ears as ballots are counted.
Election officials in battleground states have expressed concerns about misinformation promoted by individuals like Elon Musk, which has created challenges as they combat false claims. Trump and his allies have also continued to spread misinformation about the 2020 election results, leading to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
With the possibility of a prolonged vote count, news organizations are preparing for the scenario where a winner may not be declared on election night. This could lead to Trump declaring himself the victor prematurely, causing confusion among the public.
While the volume of mail-in ballots is not expected to be as high as in 2020, election officials are still anticipating larger numbers than in previous non-pandemic years. In states like Pennsylvania, strict rules dictate that workers cannot begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day, which could delay the final results.
News outlets like CNN, part of the National Election Pool, are deploying reporters to battleground states to provide accurate and timely coverage of the election. Projection of winners is a meticulous process that involves analyzing vote counts and historical voting trends to ensure accuracy.
Despite the challenges posed by misinformation and potential delays in the vote count, election results providers are confident in the integrity of the electoral process. They are prepared for a long election night that may extend into days or weeks before a presidential winner is declared.
As the nation awaits the outcome of the election, news organizations are gearing up with snacks and breakfast plans to sustain them through what could be a prolonged and uncertain period. The focus remains on delivering accurate and transparent coverage to the public, ensuring that the democratic process is upheld.
