As another vote looms large on the population of America, the focused determination of the voters stands in contrast to the mounting anticipation of the election results. However, the electrification of casting votes pales in quick succession when compared to the build-up for the revelation of the imminent president. Long waits have traditionally been the norm, but anticipating this year’s presidential contest may reveal a challenging twist. Just as the prolonged suspense of 2020 kept everyone on edge for four grueling days, the tight-knit competition between ex-President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris may transform the 2024 Election Day into another extended marathon.
The speculation around the release of presidential election results is nothing short of a headache. In essence, it’s a mystery. The unfolding framework for the presidential race’s conclusion is devoid of a scheduled timeline. The crucial announcements of the presidential election results follow the final act of counting all the ballots, an undertaking that has ranged from a single day to an entire week on previous occasions. Generally speaking, the more neck-and-neck the race, the more time it takes for the final results to be unveiled.
If the prediction of a close vote becomes our reality, we could be lingering in anxious uncertainty for several days before any concrete outcomes emerge. So, why do the results of the elections get delayed? The answers are as complex as the democratic process itself. Voting deadline differs across the country, with a precinct being open until midnight EST in some states, while others close as early as 8 p.m. like in Massachusetts. Long queues at closing time can take matters even further into the night.
The pace at which the ballot counting transpires gets even more arduous in a tightly contested race, particularly in swing states. Just as Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada painted a vivid picture of this costly, time-consuming ordeal in the 2020 elections, this year is anticipating a few more contenders to add to the prolongation. The lingering effects of Hurricane Helene have pushed North Carolina into technological difficulties spanning multiple areas, causing unavoidable delays.
In the state of Nevada, the process of counting mail-in ballots extends beyond the three-day window after the election, or even four days if they’re devoid of a postmark. The largest county in Arizona grapples with the challenging task of handling a two-page ballot, naturally delaying the counting times due to the machine processing tenure. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have yet to start processing absentee or mail-in ballots until Election Day finally hits, showing us that delays are everyone’s business.
Once the tallying of votes is done, the following question arises: How much time will it take for the candidate to admit defeat? Historically, the admission of defeat has been swift once the counting of votes is complete. In the past, we’ve seen it take two days, like when William Jennings Bryan conceded the election to President William McKinley in 1896. Since then, most of these admission statements have been made either on the same day or the day following the announcement of results.
Stray exceptions exist, such as in the presidential race of 2000 and 2020. Rewinding back to 2000, the clash between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush had everyone’s gaze fixed on the potential swing state of Florida with its hefty 25 electoral votes. The state encountered voting dilemmas, including hanging chads and accusations of foul play. Eventually, after a tangle of legal proceedings, the Supreme Court adjudged in favor of Bush.
It wasn’t until 36 days later that Al Gore conceded the election. A repeat scenario occurred in 2020, but with Joe Biden and Donald Trump as key players. Biden, a former vice president at the time, navigated his way to victory, but the official recognition of this fact dragged on for four days. Trump, in his characteristic, non-conformist way, signaled his acceptance of the election results on Nov. 15, 2020, hinting at Biden’s victory without officially conceding.
Stunningly, it was not until Jan. 7, 2021, that Trump indirectly suggested his discontinuation of service for another term, this only a day after chaos erupted on Capitol Hill. However, Trump never formally conceded the election. This reluctance to acknowledge defeat, coupled with an undercurrent of dissatisfaction, has been a unique hallmark of his political engagement, illustrating a preference for controversy over convention.
While the instances of 2000 and 2020 have become curious anomalies in America’s electoral history, they underscore the convoluted nature of the post-election process, where a concession may take anywhere from a day to several weeks. It also highlights the temperaments of the candidates involved, and their approach to competition. These past experiences serve as a reminder that the timeline for resolution in the 2024 election might prove just as uncertain.
The US Presidential race of 2024 is on the horizon could be defined by delays and controversy. The expected showdown between Trump and Harris is anticipated to be a close one, taking multiple days or even a week to get a clear cut victor. With no definite timeline to announce the result of the presidential election, it is quite sure that the nation will be waiting with bated breath, glued to their television screens and social media feeds.
A close-quarters electoral battle like the ongoing one also puts swing states under the spotlight. They stand as the narrow bridge that separates the candidates from victory, making their votes count significantly more than the others. These states become hotbeds of controversy, with various mishaps lengthening the process of counting votes.
Paradoxically, the reliance on time-consuming processes like mail ballots (which are subject to postmark timings) by states like Nevada can coerce one to reflect on the efficacy of current voting mechanisms. The factors that delay the voting process, such as protection measures against hurricanes like in North Carolina, extend the anticipation and tension related to election results.
Post-results, the immediate question that arises is centered around the losing candidate’s admission of defeat. In most cases, the concession is quick – once the votes are tallied, the losing candidate graciously accepts defeat. Exceptions are few and far between, such as Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 elections, even after Biden was declared the official winner.
Swing states like Florida became the center of controversies in the past, with allegations of misconduct and voting dilemmas such as hanging chads. It took the legal judgement of the Supreme Court in favor of Bush and a grueling 36 days for Al Gore to concede the 2000 elections. These events have etched themselves into America’s electoral history, adding another layer of complexity to an already convoluted post-election process.
Through stalled announcements of the election verdict to refusals to accept defeat, the presidential races of the United States have had significant quirks. However, each testing delay and each intricate controversy all boil down to a democratic core – one that the United States values deeply. As Americans gear up to vote in the 2024 elections, a similar story of anticipation, celebration, disappointment, and controversy is slated to unfold yet again.