This November, Election Night Could Stretch Into Election Week Or Month

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Nina Ahmad declared victory as the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania auditor general nine days after the state’s June 2 primary.

Matt Rourke/AP

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Matt Rourke/AP

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Republican Rick Scott, now a U.S. senator from Florida, takes the stage at his election night party in 2018. Days later, as his margin of victory tightened due to mail votes still being processed, he accused Democrats of trying to «steal» the election without providing evidence.

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

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Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

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«One of the reasons that the results take longer is [officials are] being diligent,» Cleaver said. «That’s actually what we should be pushing for as a country. So we should celebrate the fact that we’re actually counting every vote.»

In Pennsylvania, the problem could be alleviated somewhat with a rule change.

Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar is lobbying the Legislature to pass a law that would allow local election officials to begin opening mail ballots before Election Day to prepare them to be scanned, as is allowed in most states that process a large number of mail ballots.

«Even if you didn’t start counting until Election Day, you could do so much of the process weeks before,» Boockvar said.

Regardless, she said the reason conspiracy theories around results «have legs» is because there’s been a failure by election officials, candidates and journalists to set voter expectations properly.

«There’s the headlines that say this is a disaster if there’s a delay, and that’s not right,» she said. «If we all anticipate that accurate vote counts, with a higher volume by mail, or for any reason, for a pandemic or for civil unrest, take longer because it takes longer to make sure the count is accurate, then that’s the opposite of a disaster.

«That’s what every single voter and official should want for this country.»

Ahmad, for one, is at peace with the delay. «Patience is a virtue, my mother told me. And I am finding that to be true emotionally,» she said. «What I’m learning is you have to trust the process.»