Election results delay expected
Mail-in ballot count date may have little impact on voters
In recent weeks, judges have issued rulings on deadlines to count mail-in absentee ballots in Tuesday’s election, but political scientists and local election officials say the shifts have low impact on voters because of increased communication about how to vote.
But, the biggest shift is that voters across the country won’t know the winner of major races as mail-in ballots in most states are still likely to be counted days after the election, officials said.
If states like Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania don’t show a clear winner, “that’s when it’s going to be days before we find out” who the next president is, but it is likely those states can give indications, said Aaron Dusso, chairman of the Political Science Department at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.
“I would be surprised if we’re able to call a winner on election night, even 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning, the next day essentially,” Dusso said. “Even if they don’t call it on election night, I would expect that there will be a couple of states where there’s clear indicators.”
A federal judge issued a ruling Sept. 30 that ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted
through Nov. 13. Two weeks later, a 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge in Chicago issued a ruling that ballots have to arrive by noon on Election Day to be counted.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the heated presidential race, Indiana voters have cast a record number of ballots ahead of Election Day, whether through absentee mail-in ballots or early in-person voting, Dusso said.
Regardless of the change in the deadline to count absentee mail-in ballots, voters were aware their absentee mail-in ballots had to be delivered to election offices by noon on Election Day in Indiana, because that is state law, Dusso said. But, “there’s no doubt that there’s going to be people whose ballots don’t arrive” on time, Dusso said.
“How many that is is the real question and what the potential impact could be. I think it might be mitigated, to some degree, because … people are out there trying to educate voters,” Dusso said.
Most voters begin to make decisions on how to vote in early or mid October, which means at that point news outlets, election experts and officials and voters’ family and friends have started to communicate that absentee mail-in ballots are due at noon on Election Day, which means ballots have to be sent out sooner rather than later, Dusso said.
“My hope is that by the time they actually started paying attention the signal they are getting is pretty consistent,” Dusso said.
In Lake and Porter counties, election officials said that the shift in counting deadlines for absentee mailin ballots doesn’t impact voters as much – who mostly aim to send their absentee mail-in ballot by Election Day – and just impacts procedures for the office.
Lake County Election and Voter Registration Board Director Michelle Fajman said that elections are “ever changing” and that whenever there is a shift in procedures, the election staff meets to come up with plans on how to adjust.
“As the orders come down, we look at them, review them and just come up with a plan of action,” Fajman said. “As we find out about things, whether it has been a recent change or something that was just misinterpreted, we just try to adjust and pass on the information as best we can so that voters are informed.”
Porter County Director of Elections and Registration Sundae Schoon said that the election office “proceeds as normal” until the Indiana Election Commission issues an order.
But, as judges made decisions regarding the election in recent months, Schoon said county election officials “kept an eye on it” but the main focus has been on early voting – whether in person or absentee mail-in ballots – and election day. Specifically, the focus has been on hiring and training poll workers.
In both counties, absentee mail-in ballots are stored in a room within the local election offices under a double lock and key with video and audio recording, officials said. While both counties have seen an influx in absentee mail-in ballots, there has not been a need to store ballots in a bigger space, officials said.
On Tuesday, Lake and Porter county voters will be encouraged to wear masks and there will be social distancing markings in polling locations, officials said. Voters will also have access to gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray and they are allowed to bring their own pen, officials said.
The election officials have hired additional poll workers to assist with Election Day, and they have coordinated with law enforcement officials to provide additional security.
But, given the influx in absentee mail-in ballots, both election officials said they are preparing to not know the results of the election Tuesday night. The officials have, under state law, until Nov. 13 to certify the election results to count provisional ballots, such as overseas mail-in ballots.
Additionally, voters whose absentee mail-in ballot has a signature discrepancy will be notified and given the opportunity to confirm their vote through Nov. 13, Fajman said.
“It’s going to be a very busy day,” Fajman said. “We’re really not going to be complete until Nov. 13 when I have to certify the totals.”