Election day was yesterday, and now the country waits to hear the results as states finish collecting and tallying ballots. There are many uncertainties and questions floating around, especially for those of us voting in a presidential election for the first time.
When will results be reported?
Arkansas will have “unofficial results” at the end of election night, according to FiveThirtyEight. The New York Times says to expect “nearly all votes” to be reported by noon today. Early in-person votes are often counted first.
The data differs for the rest of the country. In Alaska, for example, in-person voting will be counted first, with mail and absentee ballots counted a week later. Florida expects to still be counting mail ballots through today. Louisiana has no timing estimates at all.
Under federal law, states have until Dec. 8 before the meeting of the Electoral College to count ballots and settle disputes. Despite this, many news stations will speculate based on available results.
What is the Electoral College and why does it matter?
If you’re like me and haven’t thought too hard about the words “Electoral College” since your “Schoolhouse Rock!” days, here’s a quick breakdown.
Each state gets a set number of electors based on the number of members of Congress it has. Arkansas, for example, has six electors. Electors are selected on Election Day by the winning political party. Then, six days later (Dec.14), the electors vote on separate ballots for president and vice president. If a presidential candidate gets the majority of electoral votes (270 is the magic number), they win the electoral vote. There is no constitutional or federal law that requires electors to vote the same way as the popular vote (which is the total number of votes received on Election Day — including yours, assuming you voted), but some states require that electors vote for the same candidate as the popular vote.
Why is the Electoral College important? To be honest, I’m not sure. Sources I’ve read (such as the National Conference of State Legislatures) say the Electoral College “prevents states with larger populations from having undue influence.”
Maybe that was true when America was founded, but now we have states with larger populations getting more electoral votes than states with smaller populations. For example, California has 55 electoral votes, compared to the three votes in Wyoming. Doesn’t that give California a larger influence?
I definitely don’t understand the Electoral College well enough to debate its merits, but hopefully now you’ve come out with slightly more knowledge. If not, don’t worry, I’m in the same boat.
What am I supposed to do now?
Aside from cautiously watching the news and practicing self-care? There’s not much you can do once your ballot is cast. However, keep an eye on local elections going forward. Donate to those in need. Find a way to reach out to your loved ones and make sure they’re OK, especially if they’re marginalized minorities. Donate to a local food bank or homeless shelter. Find a way to make someone’s life better around you, even if it’s just one person. Make a snack you haven’t had in awhile that makes you happy. And above all, give yourself credit for having made it through a presidential election. If you voted, know that you did all you could. If you didn’t vote (and would have been able to), watch the results and think about voting in the next election. Elections are a big way us laymen can affect our country, and even if this one doesn’t turn out the way we want, it’s always good to do what you can.
Categories: Opinion
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