With early voting and legal battles now the norm, the days of knowing who won on Election Night may be over.
At least 40 million Americans have already voted in the 2022 midterm elections, motivated by everything from the standard election-year issues (the economy, crime) to some larger ones (the fear that democracy itself hangs in the balance). But a sort of paradox exists: Despite them voting early in record numbers, it’s not likely that Americans will know the results of this election by Tuesday. In some cases, they may not know the winner the same week, or even this month.
Generally speaking, the midterms function as referendums on whichever party is in power. Democrats have to overcome that tendency to win control of the Senate outright, keep control of the House, or even prevail in state races down-ballot. It’s particularly high stakes in the Senate this year, with close races in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
Much ambiguity surrounds the results because elections are controlled by the state and local governments, creating a patchwork of idiosyncratic rules and restrictions.
Read more at Fast Company.