Take It Easy, It’ll Be a Long Week
We asked you not to wait for election night results , so please don’t panic. A lot can happen today, and chances are, whatever happens tonight, the rest of the week will be pretty hectic on the national news front.
Counting of ballots by mail continues
The President pretends not to understand , the voting is stopped, but the vote count continues. In previous elections, mailed ballots made up a small percentage of the total vote, so the winner can usually be determined by votes counted as of Tuesday evening.
But mail-order and absentee ballots make up a huge proportion of this year’s elections. And we shouldn’t be surprised if they turn blue: if people are worried about a pandemic, they are both more likely to choose the post and more likely to vote for candidates who promise to take the pandemic seriously, which basically means voting for a Democrat.
Machines can only scan so fast
In some states, including my home state and the main battlefield of Pennsylvania, the votes received by mail could not be counted until Election Day. Counties asked the state to pass legislation that would allow them to start counting earlier, but Republicans in the state legislature refused to do so unless they could include additional provisions such as banning collection boxes.
Pennsylvania is not a state with so many mailing ballots. Unlike many other states, we do not have early voting, and until this year, you were not able to vote by mail unless you met one of several requirements, such as living in another state. The state does not have the equipment, people, or procedures required to count a ton of ballots on election night or even shortly thereafter. In addition, there are little things like creases in the ballots that are more likely to jam cars compared to last year .
Where to stay informed
If you want to follow the count, the New York Times has a rundown of what we know about the seven states that are most likely to decide on an election. How many votes will be counted, in which direction the still counted votes will lean, and when can we expect more information. Currently, when counting votes, they say this:
- Wisconsin : not specified, only a “scattering of plots” remains.
- Nevada : No more updates until Thursday afternoon.
- Arizona : Count should end late Wednesday.
- Michigan : “clear picture” of results expected by Wednesday evening.
- Pennsylvania : “Majority” of votes to be counted by Friday.
- Georgia : Expects results on Wednesday.
- North Carolina : Unclear, but half a million ballots had not been returned on election day. They will be accepted until November 12th.
If you want to follow a specific state, look for local news organizations that cover the counting process in detail, such as the Pennsylvania Public Source .
Expect legal problems
Don’t expect this to end when the votes are counted. A number of lawsuits have already been filed, some were filed ahead of the election and some were filed just yesterday – like this one in Pennsylvania to rethink the rules for temporary ballots.
The Wall Street Journal has a list of outstanding and recent lawsuits . Don’t be surprised if there are more of them in the coming days .
By the way, the pandemic is getting worse
Remember to save some panic for COVID-19. Several European countries are about to impose their second quarantine measures, and the number of US hospitalizations is on the rise . Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths will get worse (again) before they get better, so stay alert when it comes to safety precautions. News of school closings and a shortage of hospital resources could emerge amid election coverage.
What to do with … it all
First, manage expectations. Just as you shouldn’t have pinned your hopes on Tuesday night, you shouldn’t pin your hopes on Wednesday night at this time. By the end of the week, the situation may still change. Take on the anxiety of uncertainty day after day, realizing that there will not be a certain moment when you will feel relief or closure. I know it’s hard. But this is the position you are in.
If you want to keep an eye on the results without getting hung up on it, try the Low Stress Guardian app and don’t watch more cable news or Twitter scrolls than you need to. Expect others to have emotional reactions: celebration, mourning, rage, even if the choices have not been decided yet.
Whenever you are dealing with severe stress, symptoms of depression or anxiety, it is important to take a step back and ask yourself if professional help can help you. We’ve got a guide to finding the right therapist for you and a rundown of resources for mental health care when you can’t afford traditional therapy . These range from hotlines to community-based support groups and places offering therapy for free or on a sliding scale. We also found that the Woebot app helps in providing coping strategies, although it cannot replace a human therapist.
Beyond this: Find what brings you comfort. Social support is important to mental health, even if the pandemic is alienating you from some of your loved ones . Exercise can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. And don’t forget that distractions, including gibberish and soothing river tours , can help take your mind off mindless worries.