Nearly 100 million Americans voted early in the 2020 presidential election. Despite their ballots being cast early this year, the results will arrive late. 

Ever since its introduction, nationwide mail-in voting has stirred up controversy; some argued that it was a safe alternative to in-person voting, and others claimed it allowed for mass voter fraud. 

Though government officials have debunked the idea that mail-in voting allows for fraud, it is the reason Americans went to sleep on election night without results. Senior Mandy Mayfield wishes the results would have come on election night, but she recognizes why there is a delay.

“While I would have liked to have known the winner tonight, I understand the delay. Mail-in ballots are especially good this year since they limit exposure to people,” Mayfield said. “It does give a false sense of what’s going to happen though.” 

Many are concerned that if the mail-in ballots change the presumed results of a state, mass denial proportionate to the side affected would occur. Junior Logan Roever is worried about how the data from mail-in ballots will be received. 

“The election results being delayed because of mail-in balloting is more worrying to me than anything else,” Roever said. “I am worried that the incumbent president will use his early state victories that don’t count mail-in votes to claim that he won the presidency.”

While some are skeptical about how certain candidates will react to results from mail-in voting, others doubt the legitimacy of them at all. Junior Ryan Cross thinks that mail-in ballots allow for easy falsification.

“I think that mail-in voting should never have happened because it is an easy way to cheat,” Cross said. “The voting shouldn’t be delayed, and even if we were to have mail-in voting then they should have been due earlier.” 

Two days after election day, President Trump addressed the nation in response to mail-in votes skewing heavily towards Biden. In the address, he claimed that Biden was only winning because of illegal and fraudulent mail-in votes. 

Roever viewed the speech on live television, and she says that she is worried about how Trump’s supporters will react to his claim. 

“I think Trump’s statements to the public are dangerous. His statement was filled with lies, and it was very inappropriate from a U.S. president,” Roever said. “Though I believe many people can tell that his claim was false, many of his supporters may believe him and take it as a ‘call to action.’”