Tell CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC: Don’t declare a winner until the votes are accurately counted — even if that takes days.
American elections used to culminate on Election Night, when we’d stay up late to watch CNN’s Wolf Blitzer or Fox’s Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum declare the next president — but those results have always been based on elections where Americans are voting in-person.
In 2020, 70% of voters are expected to cast a mail-in ballot,1 and these ballots take longer to process and count. Tens of millions of votes won’t be counted until after November 3rd. This year, we need to expect #ElectionWeek.
If media companies declare a winner on election night with millions of votes yet to be counted, they’d effectively throw these votes out. When news outlets announce a winner, they send a signal to the public that the election results are final. But mail-in votes could swing the entire election after November 3rd. And if bad actors jump on the media’s rush to call a winner before the votes are in, there could be chaos.
It’s vital we wait for comprehensive, accurate counting. We can’t let media companies, motivated by ratings and TV viewership, declare a winner with millions of votes uncounted. And if we get the big three to pledge, other cable news channels will fall in line.
Add your name now to demand CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News pledge not to call the 2020 election until the votes are counted. By adding your name you will remind news companies that their reputation rests on reporting accurate results, not reporting first.
1 NPR