By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – As eyes across the nation turned toward Pennsylvania, the commonwealth responded: wait. The results of its U.S. Senate election may not be known for days.
The race between Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz to replace retiring Republican Pat Toomey has been closely watched and could decide partisan control of Congress. Yet, officials have told the public to be patient for final results, as The Center Square previously reported.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday night, with 42% of votes counted, Fetterman led Oz 51% to 46%. With such a small proportion of votes counted, the race remains too close to call. It’s unclear when, exactly, all votes will be tallied.
As early as the end of October, Secretary of State Leigh Chapman said she expected “at least a few days for results to be final.”
The delay is a result of Pennsylvania election law.
In 2020, election reforms expanded mail-in voting. However, mail-in ballots can not be processed and counted until in-person voting begins on Election Day. While the General Assembly also increased funding for county boards of elections, as The Center Square previously reported, not counting mail-in ballots before the start of in-person voting delays the final results.
Other states, such as Florida, allow boards of elections to process and count mail-in ballots weeks before in-person voting. Thus, as of 10 p.m., Florida had almost 90% of its votes counted and reported winners soon after polls closed.
“While we know there may be a rush to predict the outcomes, counties are prioritizing accuracy and security above all else as they count ballots,” the Department of State said on its election website. “We want PA voters to know that their votes will be accurately counted and verified.”
It acknowledged Election Night could pass without winners known.
Additionally, some problems slowed vote counting in parts of the commonwealth.
In Luzerne County, a paper shortage led to voting delays and a judge’s order to keep polls open until 10 p.m. In Philadelphia County, Republican pressure to count ballots in a process aimed at catching double votes will also delay vote totals. The time-consuming process, called poll book reconciliation, ensures no voter submits a mail-in ballot and then votes in person. Philadelphia is the only county, officials noted, that will count votes in this way.
Aside from early warnings from election officials, slow vote counting isn’t foreign to Pennsylvania residents. In 2020, vote counts were also delayed for days before the presidential election was called for President Joe Biden on Saturday.
In the May primary, a recount ended on a Friday two weeks after Election Day.