Don’t expect complete results on Election Night. Nightly reports 👇
A volunteer cuts out"I Voted Today" stickers. | Mark Makela/Getty ImagesThe pandemic changed many, many aspects of American life for good. One of those you might not have thought about is exactly when Americans vote.
, a federal government agency, just 30.5 percent of voters voted in-person on Election Day in 2020, compared to 58.2 percent in 2018 and 54.5 percent in 2016.high of a number again. But we could be headed for the first normal election where we approach an even split of Americans voting on the big day, and those who did so earlier — either via the mail, or early in-person. Already this year, for example, at least 17.4 million Americans have voted, according to.
people who voted either early in-person or by mail for the first time in 2020 could have just found it convenient, and will stick with it going forward. “I do think the pandemic had a side-order effect,” said Gerry Langeler, the director of research and communications at NVAHI. “I do think it is unfortunate that it occurred this way, but the side effect is getting more people comfortable with mailed out ballots that may not have used them before.
For election administrators, all of this has changed the way how offices are run. Operating an in-person polling place and processing mail ballots are two totally separate things that have different staffing and resource needs. It has also extended elections in the other direction, with conclusive results not always arriving on the night of the election anymore. That has presented the opportunity for misinformation — namely from former President Donald Trump and his allies.