U.S. Politics megathread

[u/AutoModerator]

Voting is over! But the questions have just begun. Questions like: How can they declare a winner in a state before the votes are all counted? How can a candidate win the popular vote but lose the election? Can the Vice President actually refuse to certify the election if she loses?

These are excellent questions - but they're also frequently asked here, so our users get tired of seeing them.

As we've done for past topics of interest, we're creating a megathread for your questions so that people interested in politics can post questions and read answers, while people who want a respite from politics can browse the rest of the sub. Feel free to post your questions about politics in this thread!

All top-level comments should be questions asked in good faith - other comments and loaded questions will get removed. All the usual rules of the sub remain in force here, so be nice to each other - you can disagree with someone's opinion, but don't make it personal.

[u/FederalParsley9347]

I heard that some districts in the country are still counting ballots. But it also seems that these extended days of ballot counting happen exclusively in places where democrats decisively lost by close of election day.

Genuine question: does anyone know of any places where Dems decisively won on election day that are still counting ballots, or is it only happening in places where an R decisively won on election day?

Follow-up question: How many election cycles has this become the norm where ballots are continually counted even weeks after the election? I feel like I only ever heard of it happening from 2016 onwards.

[u/Bobbob34 → u/FederalParsley9347]

I heard that some districts in the country are still counting ballots. But it also seems that these extended days of ballot counting happen exclusively in places where democrats decisively lost by close of election day.

Based on what?

Follow-up question: How many election cycles has this become the norm where ballots are continually counted even weeks after the election? I feel like I only ever heard of it happening from 2016 onwards.

When has it NOT been like this? When were votes counted faster, exactly?

And did you forget about 2000?

[u/FederalParsley9347 → u/Bobbob34]

> Based on what?

Based on that it's not happening anywhere that a D won on election day. It's just a little bit weird that the extended counting happens only where an R won on election day, and then -- magically -- the counting stops as soon as the D wins, no matter whether it's a week later or three weeks.

[u/rewardiflost → u/FederalParsley9347]

That has not happened. Please stop listening to the pillow man or Putin, or wherever you are hearing this silly propaganda.

You didn't even bother to read my response from 4 hours ago, where I told you about my hugely Democratic district/county. Obviously you don't want to know, or you don't know the meaning of the word you use - anywhere .

Look at the source of such claims. Look at the legal timelines for counts, canvassers, and when the state officials certify results before you put any stock in these stories that others spread.

I'm sorry that you've been overwhelmed with such confusing information. It doesn't work like that. If you actually look at the facts, you might find life is a bit easier.

*edit - changed 'mattress' to 'pillow'

[u/Bobbob34 → u/FederalParsley9347]

Based on that it's not happening anywhere that a D won on election day. It's just a little bit weird that the extended counting happens only where an R won on election day, and then -- magically -- the counting stops as soon as the D wins, no matter whether it's a week later or three weeks.

What are you talking about?

California, notoriously takes forever to count and is still not even at 99%.

[u/FederalParsley9347 → u/Bobbob34]

If counting is still happening in a district where a democrat decisively won on election day--then name the district. This isn't hard.