The Washington Post editorial board cautioned that Americans should be prepared for potential delays in election results on election night, particularly from critical swing states that could decide the election.

The Post explained how in 2020, the US saw more of an “election week” than an election night, with mail-in ballots taking days to count and delaying the eventual election victory by President Joe Biden. Although many states have taken steps to reduce the factors that caused delays, such as adding more staff to count ballots, the editorial warned that challenges still remain.

The number of mail-in ballots plays a significant role in determining election results. However, states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin prohibit counting mail-in ballots before Election Day, even if they arrive early. This requirement could lead to lengthy delays in tallying votes, especially in highly populated urban areas like Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Election officials in these states have increased staff to process ballots but still expect delays.

Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that mail-in ballots without accurate dates could be disqualified. Nonpartisan election officials have also voiced concerns about potential delays in postal service delivery of ballots. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has attempted to reassure voters, claiming that training has improved in order to expedite election-related mail. But the issue of lost or delayed election mail remains a concern for election officials.

In response to the partisan voting patterns seen in 2020, Republicans have increased efforts to encourage mail-in voting. According to the Election Project, in the 20 states that have party registration data, there were 18 million Democrat ballots voted by mail compared to only 10 million Republican ballots. However, this gap narrowed in the 2022 midterms, signaling a possible shift in Republican strategy toward utilizing mail-in ballots. Such efforts by Republicans can help reduce a shocking turn of election results similar to what the US saw in 2020 when Trump's electoral lead quickly faded as more mail-in ballots were counted.

With tight races in key battleground states, Americans may need to brace for delayed results, similar to 2020, before a winner is announced.