Why Pennsylvania’s election results will take time to count

John Zapf drops off a mail-in ballot on Oct. 15, 2024, in Doylestown, Pa. Hannah Beier/Getty Images by Alauna Safarpour, Gettysburg College The country is unlikely to know who wins the battleground state of Pennsylvania on election night. That’s because of a quirk in Pennsylvania’s laws. I am an assistant professor of political science at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where I teach and conduct research in American politics, public opinion, voting and elections. I have previously explained why Pennsylvania is crucial to both the Harris and Trump campaigns, and why Pennsylvania will likely prove pivotal in determining the presidency. Here are five things that are important to understand about the timing of the election outcome in Pennsylvania. The state sets the rules for voting and counting Under the U.S. Constitution, states and the federal government share power. Some powers are exclusively reserved for the states, while other powers are exclusively under the control of the federal government, for instance signing treaties, or declaring war on a foreign nation. Under this system, known as federalism, states – not the federal government – run elections. Individual states and local jurisdictions within states determine polling locations, how citizens vote and other rules...