You have probably heard about this year’s election. On November 5, this year, American citizens over the age of 18 will get choose who they want to be president. Many other state and local government leaders, such as governors and senators, will also be decided upon. While we will learn who many of these leaders are on election night, sometimes it takes days or weeks to learn who won an election. Why is that?
In elections, voters go to places known as polls to vote. Some people vote early. Some people mail in their votes. Voting polls are run by county governments. They follow rules that are set by state laws. They bring their votes to a voting center to count the votes. It is very important to count the votes correctly. Even after the votes are counted, they are verified [checked to make sure they are correct]. They are then brought to state officials to be certified [to swear that the vote count is true and accurate].
This process can take weeks or months. On election nights, the media like to announce a winner. When a winner of an election is announced, it is usually based on an early count. The votes are still verified and certified. The results usually do not change. When an election is extremely close, nobody will be declared the winner until officials are sure.
Several elections this year are expected to be close. This includes the election for the President of the United States. Last presidential election, it took four days to declare a winner. This year, it is possible it will take as long as this year. Check back at IMPACT News to find out the results in November.
What Do You Think? What do you think is more important, getting quick election results or getting accurate election results? Explain your answer.
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