Trump says it's not 'fair' that votes are counted after Election Day


President Trump on Sunday decried the fact that votes will be counted after Election Day, telling reporters in North Carolina that his lawyers will immediately begin challenging ballots cast in certain states.
"I don't think it's fair we have to wait for a long period of time after the election," Trump said. "Should've gotten their ballots in a long time before that. Could've gotten their ballots in a month ago. I think it's a ridiculous decision."
Because so many states have expanded early and mail-in voting due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will likely take longer than normal for each state to count every ballot. It's a tight race in several battleground states, like Florida and Ohio, and Trump said he thinks it's "terrible" that absentee votes will be counted in Pennsylvania and North Carolina after the polls close, claiming there's "great danger to it."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump also denied an Axios report earlier Sunday that he plans on declaring victory on Tuesday night if he appears to be leading, and will claim ballots counted later are illegitimate. Democrats have expressed concern that Trump will prematurely declare victory if he is ahead on Tuesday night, and their fears were enhanced on Sunday when Trump surrogate Jason Miller claimed on This Week that if more blue votes come in after midnight, it's a Democratic attempt to "steal" the election.
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox (R) called Miller's allegation "garbage," and clarified that "elections are never decided on election night. In Utah (and most states) it takes two weeks to finalize counting and certify results. It really doesn't matter who is ahead on election night, it only matters when every eligible vote is counted and each county canvasses and certifies their vote totals."
Presidential historian Michael Beschloss also tweeted that Americans "did not know the presidential winner for certain before midnight on election nights in 1960, 1968, 1976, 2000, 2004, 2016. No one should pretend there would be anything historically unusual if that happens again in 2020."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Is the world losing scientific innovation?
Today's big question New research seems to be less exciting
-
Airplane crash-detection systems could be vulnerable to hackers
Under the Radar 'The idea scares the shit out of me,' one pilot said
-
5 tips for maintaining your gut microbiome's health
The Week Recommends A healthy gut is all the rage in wellness circles
-
Starving Gazans overrun US-backed food aid hub
speed read Israeli troops fired warning shots at the Palestinians
-
Israel's Western allies pull back amid Gaza escalation
speed read Britain and the EU are reconsidering allegiance with Israel as the Gaza siege continues
-
Trump drops ceasefire demand after Putin call
speed read Following a phone call with Russia's president, Trump backed off an earlier demand that Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine
-
Pro-EU centrist beats Trump acolyte in Romania vote
speed read The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, defeated hard-right nationalist George Simion in the race for Romania's presidency
-
Israel-US 'rift': is Trump losing patience with Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question US president called for an end to Gaza war and negotiated directly with Hamas to return American hostage, amid rumours of strained relations
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talks
speed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 days
speed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'