Presidential Election: How to Know the Winner and How to Secure a Win

Americans Across The Nation Watch First Presidential Debate

(Photo : Getty Images/ Sarah Silbiger)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 29: Television screens airing the first presidential debate are seen at Walters Sports Bar on September 29, 2020 in Washington, United States. Americans across the country tuned in to the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden held in Cleveland.

The presidential election is one week away. Democratic candidate Joe Biden maintains a higher rank in the polls over President Donald Trump nationally and in key battleground states. However, as Hillary Clinton learned four years ago, the important matter is reaching the 270-electoral vote threshold.

How to Know the Winner and How to Secure a Win

As of Monday, over 62 million United States citizens had voted early either in-person or by mail. The tally could reach over 85 million before Election Day.

The 2020 election is being conducted as unlike the past elections in history. Election Day will also look very distinct this 2020. Basically, there is much of a chance that we would not know who won the presidential election by the end of the evening, reported ABC 13.

Each state has varying guidelines on when it is permitted to start counting ballots. This would produce results arriving at different times -- perhaps days or weeks after the November 3 Election Day, reported US News.

It has been nearly 70 years since the first time US citizens watched election results being tallied in real-time on CBS and since then, we have anticipated knowing the results after a few hours of the polls closing.

Absentee Ballots to Keep Flowing in After Election Day

The main reason that there is a probable chance we would not know the presidential election's winner on November 3 is that nearly one-third of the US only requires mail-in ballots to be postmarked instead of acquired by Election Day. A number of mail-in ballots require postmarks from a mere one day before Election Day.

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Ballots received after Election Day could certainly have a remarkable impact on the presidential election results.

Electoral College

Americans vote for people dubbed "electors" in their state who are supporting the presidential nominee they want to become president. The process is named the electoral college.

The candidate who garners a higher number of electors would win all the state's electoral college votes. The first candidate to win an adequate number of states to reach 270 electoral votes is elected to the highest office in the land.

President Trump knows the frustrating delay waiting for results on Election Night is coming. According to Trump addressing supporters in a rally, "We have a situation where they have their ballots and they have a long time to count the ballots," reported CBS8.

According to federal law, states have until six days before Electoral College members assemble in person to affirm election results and identify their electors. The date is known as the "safe harbor" deadline.

On January 6, the House and Senate assemble in the Congress' joint session to count the electoral votes and announce the results.

Pandemonium

No one wants pandemonium to occur but it is a possibility. It must be acknowledged that there would possibly be voting irregularities that conclude results in certain counties, counties, or states which hinder a clear winner from being manifested.