Proactive Communication Key to Maintaining Voter Trust Amid Election Result Delays

A study finds that timely explanations from election officials can significantly reduce voter distrust caused by delayed vote counts.

Delays in election result announcements have been shown to decrease voter trust, as seen in recent U.S. elections.
Research involving nearly 10,000 Americans highlights that simple, proactive messages from election officials can mitigate distrust.
A 40-second video explaining the reasons for vote-counting delays reduced distrust by about 60% compared to those not shown the video.
The study found that voters informed about delays without context experienced a 6.5 percentage point drop in trust.
Clear communication about the vote-counting process is crucial, especially in politically polarized environments.