The calling to be patient seems to be the most determining message for this election. Waiting calmly and confidently for the official announcement of the final count is a tremendously important element for the upcoming electoral process.
This is evidenced by the requests of both Governor Wolf and Mayor Kenney concerning the time it may take counting of votes.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf will encourage residents to be patient for their state’s election results in a new advertisement aimed at fighting concerns that could arise with a lengthy counting process.
The ad is scheduled to air from Election Day afternoon through the final ballot count, whenever that may be.
You can read: This is Philadelphia’s plan for counting the avalanche of mail-in ballots
“These are unprecedented times. Because of the coronavirus, there were millions of votes cast by mail so it may take longer than usual to count every vote. The folks in our election offices, your neighbors, family and friends are working hard ensuring every single vote is counted,” Wolf says in the ad made through the nonpartisan voter advocacy group The Voter Project.
“So it may take a little longer than we’re used to, even a few days, but that’s okay,” Wolf, a Democrat, continued, “because it’s critical that your vote is counted and it will be.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Kenney and Lisa Deeley, chair of the Philadelphia City Commissioners also made a call in an Open Letter to Philadelphia voters to be patient.
To be patient is crucial
“On Election Day, please be patient the people working your voting station and waiting with you are your neighbors. They are doing their best,” the letter said.
Even after the polls close at 8 p.m., Kenney urges Philadelphians to remain patient as they may not know the results of the contested presidential race. The counting could take some time to be decided due to an enormous influx of mail-in votes amid the covid-19 pandemic.
“After the polls close, and in the ensuing days, we will continue to need your patience,” the letter said. “Never in the history of this city have so many people voted by mail. By law, staffers are not allowed to start opening and counting these ballots until Election Day itself.
“That means getting a tally of mail-in ballots will easily take several days. This may determine the outcome in Philadelphia, and in the Commonwealth as a whole. So, again, please be patient.”
While more than 2.2 million voters cast early ballots in Pennsylvania, the state doesn’t process or count them until Election Day. Philadelphia and other areas plan to start work on their mail-in votes at 7 a.m. sharp, officials said, but swing counties like Erie and red ones like Cumberland are intending to wait until after the polls close or even until the next morning to begin.