With the Election Day less than a week away in the United States, the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), a coalition of research entities including the Center for an Informed Public, has prepared an analysis that presents scenarios outlining what to expect in information spaces on Nov. 3 and the days that follow. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, attempts to delegitimize adjustments in voting procedures threaten the election process. The EIP analysis presents scenarios and examples of false narratives during different periods over the coming week(s).
Key takeaways include:
- Election results will likely not be known on Election Day.
- There may be efforts to deter voting with images and videos of long lines and protests.
- Premature winners will be declared, and false “evidence” of voter fraud will be highlighted.
- The vast majority of ballots and polling stations will have no problems.
The analysis, written by the CIP’s Kate Starbird, Jevin West, Emma Spiro, Nicole Buckley, Rachel Moran and Morgan Wack; Michael Caulfield of Washington State University; and Renee DiResta of Stanford Internet Observatory, advises journalists and the public to: “prepare for uncertainty of results on election day/night, emphasize the vast majority of ballots and polling stations will experience no issues, highlight positive experiences of voting, know the conspiracies around shifts in vote shares, look to statements from election officials, and avoid sharing premature results from candidates or armchair data scientists.”
