Election Results Delayed? Obama Warns of a Repeat of 2020’s Count Drama!

Former President Barack Obama posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, warning that it's "very likely" Americans may not know the election results by the end of the night, similar to the delays experienced in 2020.

Obama urged voters to prepare for potential delays like those in the 2020 presidential election, which faced slower counts largely due to universal mail-in voting implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It took several days to count every ballot in 2020, and it’s very likely we won’t know the outcome tonight either,” Obama noted, offering advice as Election Day proceeded.

“Thousands of election workers around the country are working hard today. Respect them. Thank them. Don’t share things before checking your sources. Let the process run its course. It takes time to count every ballot,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump criticized states, including Maricopa County, Arizona, that have announced potential delays in counting votes. He raised concerns during a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, where he questioned the fairness of extended vote-counting timelines.

“We got a phony press, we got a lot of crooked people out there. We’re fighting like crazy. They are fighting so hard to steal this thing,” Trump stated. He criticized measures like extended voting hours and reliance on voting machines, saying, “Paper ballots, you’d have the answer by 9 o’clock tonight. It’s a shame,” and expressed frustration that extended timelines raise suspicions, saying, “I’m the only one who talks about it.”

Trump added that he’d heard of states possibly taking “extra” time, with some suggesting up to 12 additional days for results, leading him to question what might happen during such periods. He argued that elections should conclude by Tuesday night, attributing delays to corruption, stating, “These are crooked people.”

Several swing states have advised voters to expect slower counts. Pennsylvania's State Department warned in August that results for some races may not be final on election night. Nevada announced mail-in ballots without postmarks would be counted up to three days post-election, and Michigan also indicated possible delays in specific counties.

Until 2020, results were usually known the following day, but the introduction of widespread mail-in ballots led to delays. Some, like Obama, are now trying to normalize this trend, turning an uncommon delay into an expected part of U.S. elections.

To counter concerns of irregularities, Trump and his supporters have encouraged a strong voter turnout, urging supporters to make the results “too big to rig.”