It May Take Weeks to Confirm Results
Early Judgment Difficult Due to Record Postal Voting
Only a Landslide Victory Can Avoid Initial Confusion
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, the US media is deeply concerned ahead of the vote count for the US presidential election. There is growing worry that it could take weeks to finalize the election results due to the largest-ever scale of mail-in voting.
According to foreign media on the 29th (local time), the US's largest news agency, AP News, is considering raising objections if either President Donald Trump or Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden declares victory before the election outcome is confirmed in the November 3 US presidential election. Sally Buzbee, editor of AP News, said, "There are strict reasons why the winner of the election cannot be confirmed," adding, "Fighting misinformation is the most important task this year."
In the US, the media plays a larger role in the vote counting process than in other democracies. The election results are determined by news organizations that observe the nationwide election process and declare the winner. These media outlets announce the winners by region based on their own statistical surveys and the progress of vote counting before the official election count is completed. Once the election results are confirmed through election broadcasts, the losing side calls the winner to concede, and the winner subsequently delivers a victory speech, finalizing the election outcome.
However, this year the situation is considered different.
News agencies such as AP News and NBC, which handle vote counting and aggregation, have prepared for many more factors than in previous years for this election, but they are also preparing for a scenario where the winner cannot be confirmed on election day. The biggest reason is the unprecedented scale of mail-in voting.
Currently, it is reported that Democratic supporters have used mail-in voting more than Republican supporters in the US. On the other hand, Republican supporters prefer in-person voting on election day. Because of the order in which votes are counted, early results can differ, making it difficult to determine the winner.
US media unanimously point out that "uncertainty is higher than ever," emphasizing that "the most uncertain factor is that the vote counting itself may proceed slowly." They also state that "plans must be prepared in case the winner is not confirmed on election day or the following day."
There are also concerns that exit poll results are unreliable. Four years ago, US media predicted the victory of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton but were embarrassed by the actual outcome.
For this reason, US media also hope that either President Trump or candidate Biden will win by a landslide in this election. They believe this is the only way to prevent confusion and disputes over the election results.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
