As the clock strikes 8:00 PM on election night, voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will be left wondering when they'll know the outcome of the presidential election. In these crucial states, the process of counting mail-in ballots is a complex and time-consuming affair, with experts warning that it could take days to determine the winner.

One of the main reasons for the delay is the lack of early processing of mail ballots. In Pennsylvania, officials are still barred from opening and processing mail-in ballots before 7:00 AM on election day, a rule that has been in place since 2019. Similarly, in Wisconsin, the state's election commission has been unable to change the law, despite the efforts of lawmakers.

This lack of early processing has led to a growing concern among election experts that delays in counting mail ballots could give the public a false sense of who's winning the election. This could create a "red mirage" - showing GOP candidates ahead initially before more Democratic-leaning absentee ballots are processed and added to the tally - and leave an opening for false narratives about election fraud to flourish.

Despite these challenges, election officials in both states are working to streamline the process and reduce delays. In Pennsylvania, the state has invested millions in new voting equipment and has implemented a continuous counting system, where workers count mail-in ballots continuously without stopping. In Wisconsin, the state's election commission has implemented a similar system, with workers counting ballots around the clock.

But despite these efforts, the uncertainty surrounding the election night outcome is a major concern. In 2020, it took four days before news organizations projected that Joe Biden had won the state and, therefore, the presidency. In that time, misinformation festered, and protests broke out at the Philadelphia counting center.

In Wisconsin, another state that Biden flipped on his way to the White House, Trump falsely attributed his loss to "surprise ballot dumps" in heavily Democratic Milwaukee. The jump in Biden votes came when the city reported all of its absentee ballots at the same time - a development that had been widely anticipated because state law prevents the early processing of mail ballots.

As the election approaches, experts are urging voters to be patient and refrain from making any conclusions if the results aren't known quickly on election night. "We've got to stop this language that somebody's ahead or somebody's behind," said Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss, a Democrat who crafted the new law allowing the early processing of ballots in his state. "The winner is the winner when the polls close. We then just find out who the winner is."

Election Night Uncertainty: The Battle for Ballot Counting

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