Actions

EXPLAINER: A long night, or more, before president is known

Explaining Election 2020
Posted
and last updated

WASHINGTON (AP) — There’s a good chance that Americans won’t know the winner of Tuesday’s presidential election while it's still Tuesday — or maybe even Wednesday.

Many states made it easier to request a mail ballot amid the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about crowded polling places.

But mail ballots generally require more time to process than ballots cast in person.

Some states with extensive experience in using mail-in ballots have adjusted for those extra steps.

But other states left that work until Election Day.

As a result, it could take days to tally enough ballots to project a winner.