{
  "id": 17437066,
  "title": "When will we know 2026 midterm election results? It may take some time, but that's normal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/when-will-we-know-2026-midterm-election-results-it-may-take-some-time",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T17:02:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PBS NewsHour",
    "slug": "pbs-newshour",
    "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/when-will-we-know-2026-midterm-election-results-it-may-take-some-time-but-thats-normal"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Election results for the 2026 midterm races may not be immediately known, and this is typical. If a candidate leads early and then falls behind, that can also be normal. Some politicians and their supporters may spread misinformation during the vote counting process. It is important to rely on accurate information rather than falsehoods. Ryan Macias, an election technology and cybersecurity expert, notes that states all follow their own laws and procedures for counting and certifying results. The speed at which results are projected depends on the margin of victory and the time required to verify voter identities. Mail-in ballots often take longer to process as election workers must match signatures to registration records. Some states allow late returns of absentee ballots if they were postmarked by Election Day. In 2020, Donald Trump led early in Wisconsin but quickly trailed after Milwaukee processed mail-in ballots. Control of the Senate often comes down to close races with numerous ballots to count. Some states, like California, have more mail-in ballots, leading to delays in result projection. The U.S. House races also often favor cities with many late mail-in ballots. It is crucial to verify claims about election delays and not accept misinformation without evidence.",
  "summary": "In past elections, elected leaders, candidates and social media users have spread falsehoods that \"late night\" arrivals of \"ballot dumps\" or \"suitcases\" of ballots are signs of fraud, or that only Democratic-led cities take days to count votes.",
  "key_points": [
    "Election results may take time to be known, typical for midterms",
    "Candidate leads early, then falls behind, normal in voting process",
    "Mail-in ballots often delay results due to signature verification"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}