Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why it’s OK if we don’t know results on election night
The Associated Press ^ | October 27, 2022 | By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY (D-AP)

Posted on 10/27/2022 11:21:19 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

It’s the night of the election, Polls have been closed for hours. Why don’t Americans know the winners?

In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the lack of final results on election night could be an indicator of the election was stolen: “We don’t want them to find any more ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” he said.

In reality, however, results released on election night are unofficial and always incomplete. They inevitably change as more ballots are counted.

Unlike in many countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature long lists of races. Some states give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to process mailed ballots, including checking signatures and verifying ID information. In other states, that process can’t start until Election Day or shortly before, meaning those ballots might not get counted until the next day or even later.

Here’s why results are not always known the night of an election.

SHOULD WE KNOW THE WINNERS BEFORE GOING TO BED?

Not knowing the winner on election night says nothing about the fairness of an election or the accuracy of results.

WHY CAN’T WE BE LIKE FRANCE?

In France there was only one contest on the ballot. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held on separate dates.

DO MAIL BALLOTS AFFECT THE REPORTING OF RESULTS?

They can. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states were expanding the use of mail ballots and early in-person voting to reduce lines on Election Day and provide more flexibility to voters.

WHAT OTHER FACTORS CAN SLOW RESULTS?

While most states require mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day, 19 states provide a grace period.

WOULD HAND COUNTING HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS?

No.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrats; election2022; journalism; media; press
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-76 last
To: Codeflier

Yes they have shown their hand. They are going to cheat so badly they will be seen to be doing it. We need Republican officials with some balls to not let them get away with it.


61 posted on 10/27/2022 2:27:24 PM PDT by Sam Gamgee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Sam Gamgee

If everybody cheated at the same level, then it would even out. The honest voters are at a disadvantage to the ones who wait until after the counts are done, and then know how many votes to add to over come the difference.


62 posted on 10/27/2022 2:41:20 PM PDT by political1 (Love your neighbors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

the dems are getting slow

they used to be able to stuff the ballot box by midnite


63 posted on 10/27/2022 2:56:50 PM PDT by joshua c (to disrupt the system, we must disrupt our lives, cut the cable tv)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

It takes time to fill out those fake ballots so as not to raise suspicions.


64 posted on 10/27/2022 3:16:20 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: olivia3boys

More information warfare from leftist media to cover the theft of yet another election.


65 posted on 10/27/2022 4:39:30 PM PDT by joma89 (Buy weapons and ammo, folks, and have the will to use them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Vote on election day period. Mail in ballots for the armed forces overseas and the handicapped. If you are a resident not in the state on election day, that is just too bad. Paper ballots no voting machines. No ballots from car trunks accepted. Ballots stay in the voting area under guard until the SOS certifies the results. Anyone attempting fraud shot on sight.


66 posted on 10/27/2022 5:43:04 PM PDT by Nuc 1.1 (Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
Why it’s OK if we don’t know results on election night

An AP news story! Need I say more?

Designed to alter the TRUTH and BLOW SMOKE up your A$$.

67 posted on 10/27/2022 5:53:16 PM PDT by VideoDoctor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: itsahoot

I grew up in Colorado. They used the old fashioned mechanical voting machines. I don’t think anyone counted by hand.


68 posted on 10/27/2022 8:24:36 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Hildy

Here in Arizona my junk mail account received the below message
this morning, in which the dems state they are afraid that
“Republicans will crash the polls on election day with a big
turnout.” Note that in this message the dems also state
they consider it “GOP nonsense” to vote on Election Day!

“AZ Dems Thu, Oct 27 at 9:23 AM
Early voting started several weeks ago, and we’re starting
to get initial data back about turnout.

The good news: We have a small advantage in Democrats
returning their ballots.

The bad news: We know due to GOP nonsense, most Republicans
are waiting until Election Day to drop off their ballots
or vote in-person.

So we’re not confident we have a big enough lead.

What we need: There are still thousands of Democratic voters
who requested a ballot but haven’t returned it.
We need to make sure our GOTV teams are reaching these
voters to make sure they fill out their ballot correctly
and mail it back in time.

We have a small turnout advantage right now, but we know
Republicans will crash the polls on election day with a big
turnout.

Can you donate $10 right now so our field teams have the
resources they need to make sure Democratic voters maintain
our turnout advantage?”


69 posted on 10/27/2022 8:37:12 PM PDT by StayAt HomeMother
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Comment #70 Removed by Moderator

To: Fury

The Democrat controlled urban centers will wait to see how many votes they need to “find”, and then put the Dem over the top in statewide races.


71 posted on 10/28/2022 4:31:51 AM PDT by Codeflier (Screw Ukraine. America is burning, and we need to concentrate on our own collapse taking place.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Codeflier

Re: 71 - We’ll see.


72 posted on 10/28/2022 6:49:22 AM PDT by Fury
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Fury

I definitely wouldn’t mind being wrong. The PA Senate race is the one I am most worried about because of Philadelphia Democrats.


73 posted on 10/28/2022 7:17:03 AM PDT by Codeflier (Screw Ukraine. America is burning, and we need to concentrate on our own collapse taking place.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

74 posted on 10/28/2022 7:44:36 AM PDT by Pollard (Worm & GMO Free - some call us purebloods)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nifster
I don’t think anyone counted by hand.

Any voting machine or counting machine can be manipulated and it doesn't have to be done by the election personal. The old punch card ballots in Florida that gave us hanging chads were very easily manipulated. Scantron type counters can also be manipulated very easily, of course the final stage is when totals are reported to a central accumulation point there a very few crooks can manipulate the totals.

If precincts were made smaller and ballots were hand counted the possibility for fraud would be vastly reduced and that is a fact. The use of computers for tabulation makes stolen elections inevitable, the delay in getting counts from large cities dominated by democrats allow them ample time to create votes as necessary to effect the outcome.

75 posted on 10/28/2022 10:40:42 AM PDT by itsahoot (Many Republicans are secretly Democrats, no Democrats are secretly Republicans. Dan Bongino.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: StayAt HomeMother

They are going down!


76 posted on 10/28/2022 3:03:38 PM PDT by Hildy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-76 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson