When Will We Know the 2022 Midterm Election Results?

It’s likely that we won’t know the final results of every state and local election on Election Day.

For Context: In 2020, a rise in the use of mail-in ballots — which many states bar election officials from counting before Election Day — led to delays in official election results. This created a “mirage” effect, where some candidates appeared to gain a lead after Election Day as mail-in ballots were counted. This phenomenon will likely repeat itself in 2022, particularly in tight battleground races like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia. Additionally, some results are delayed by state-specific election methods like ranked choice voting and universal mail voting.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage from across the spectrum agreed that delays were a normal part of the election process; an ABC News (Lean Left bias) headline said delays were “OK,” and a Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) article said, “Delayed results do not indicate that the process is flawed or fraudulent.” Right-rated outlets were less likely to publish and promote articles explaining potential result delays. On the other hand, coverage from the left was widespread and somewhat more likely to mention the role of result delays in former President Donald Trump’s 2020 voter fraud claims.