Whether or not they agree with the outcome of an election, most Americans want to know that the results are fair and legitimate. But how election officials report results to voters can play a major role in how confident people feel about their democracy.
In a close election, even just a few votes can make all the difference. These few votes may shape policies affecting millions of Americans like health care, education or the environment. Or they may decide who controls local government or a state legislative chamber. Those few votes can also decide the fate of a candidate for President or the outcome of a presidential recount.
When people are unsure about an election result, they often turn to their local and state elections officials for trusted information about what actually happened. That’s why it’s important for election officials to be able to clearly explain the steps that are taken to ensure that electoral results are accurate.
These steps include counting ballots, reporting unofficial election results on election night, determining the winner of an election by aggregating state and federal election results, and certifying results. Depending on the type of election, the process of certification may be done by a single elected official (like a county auditor or municipal clerk), a multi-member board, or a body of state legislators.
When voters receive this information, the gap between their expectations and actual outcomes determines how satisfied they are with the electoral process. Expectations are shaped by the experience of a prior election or the forecasts made by friends and family, and disconfirmation is shaped by how much one’s expectation differed from what actually happened.