On Monday, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt reiterated the importance of allowing time for all eligible votes to be counted in the crucial battleground state. Schmidt highlighted that the Department of State has never had final, official results on Election Night, regardless of other projections that may come in.
The process for counting mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania is a key factor contributing to the potential delay in finalizing results. Schmidt explained that due to the state's regulations, counties cannot begin opening mail-in ballots until 7:00 a.m. ET on Election Day. With nearly 2 million mail-in ballots already returned, the counting process is expected to take time.
Schmidt cautioned that it is challenging to predict the percentage of eligible votes that will be counted on Election Day and suggested that it may take several days to obtain the official results. He noted that while counties will start submitting unofficial results after polls close at 8 p.m. local time, the final numbers may not be available immediately.
Throughout the night and the following days, counties will continue to update the results as more votes are counted. Schmidt emphasized that every registered voter will have the opportunity to have their voice heard in the election process.
As the election unfolds, Schmidt urged the public to rely on trustworthy sources for accurate information and to be patient as the vote-counting process progresses. With the high volume of mail-in ballots and the strict regulations governing their processing, Pennsylvania is expected to play a critical role in determining the outcome of the election.
