Explainer: What’s going on with the presidential election?

Why is it taking so long to count the ballots?

The two primary reasons why ballot-counting is taking longer than usual, is because of high voter turnout and the process of counting absentee ballots (i.e., mail-in ballots). 

Voter turnout has been higher than in normal elections, which estimates ranging from roughly 157.1 million to 165.0 million votes cast for president. This is likely to be the highest percentage of voter turnout since 1900, when 73.7% of eligible Americans cast ballots. Vice President Biden has already broken the record for most votes ever cast for a U.S. presidential candidate, beating President Obama’s 2008 tally.

The record number of absentee ballots has also slowed the counting. So far there have been almost twice as many absentee ballots as in person ballots (65.2 million compared to 35.9 million). Some states, such as Pennsylvania, are not allowed by their state laws to count any mail-in ballots until Election Day. 

Because absentee ballots require additional steps to process, such as opening the envelopes and checking the names against voter rolls, they take significantly more time to process. That is why states like Texas and Florida, which were able to process their absentee ballots early and know their projected counts on the night of the election.

This Week at the ERLC

• Russell Moore shares helpful advice on this drawn-out election at The Gospel Coalition and at his site.

• Josh Wester was on the Confluence Leadership Podcast talking about how Christians can respond to the election.

• Travis Wussow told Baptist Press that the changes in the “predatory drug and gambling industries are alarming” after multiple states approved new legalization measures.

What You Need to Read

• Marissa Postell with What should we do with the fear we feel in 2020? Trusting God in the midst of pandemics and politics

As believers we are called to know Christ, trust in him, and make him known. Any fear—whether that be COVID-19 or a political election or anything else—that is stopping us from pursuing Christ and living to glorify him can be used by the enemy to dishonor our faithful God. Instead, cling to the Father (Psa. 91). Whatever you’re afraid of in this moment, remember that Jesus is bigger (1 John 4:4), and he will sustain you.

• Jordan Wootten with 3 ways Christians can mend the political rural-suburban divide

It is undeniable that we live in a divided America, fragmented in almost every way imaginable. This division has not spared the rural-sub/urban dynamic (sub/urban being a term that groups both suburban and urban communities together), but has widened its fissures further beyond just the miles that separate them. Though it has always been true to some extent, these two groups are typically worlds apart politically, culturally, and religiously, flashpoints that David French argues only exacerbate this widening geographical gap.

• Josh Wester with Why would Christians support religious freedom? Learning from early Christian leaders

Religious freedom is among the most precious things in existence. At its core it is both a theological and political proposition. Theologically, to defend religious freedom is to recognize that every person is accountable to God as an individual. No one has the right to decide who or how another person worships. Politically, to defend religious freedom is to recognize that the state has no role in determining what a person holds as ultimate.

News From Capitol Hill

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Fulton v. Philadelphia, a crucial religious liberty case whose outcome could determine the ability of faith-based foster care and adoption providers to continue serving consistent with their convictions.

For more of the background and stories that led to this litigation and the ERLC’s engagement and amicus briefs, see our explainer from Wednesday morning.

The plaintiffs in this case are two foster moms, Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, who want to care for vulnerable children in need. On the day of the arguments in Washington, Simms-Busch noted her gratitude that the justices “took our arguments seriously and seemed to understand that foster parents like me just want to provide loving homes for children.” Fulton added, “As a single woman of color, I’ve learned a thing or two about discrimination over the years—but I’ve never experienced the vindictive religious discrimination the City’s politicians have expressed toward my faith.”

In her opening statement, Lori Windham, the Becket attorney representing Simms-Busch and Fulton, argued there was no compelling reason for the city of Philadelphia to exclude Catholic Social Services from its foster care system. Travis Wussow, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Jeff Pickering spoke with Windham after the oral argument for the Capitol Conversations podcast. Stay tuned next Tuesday, Nov. 10 when that conversation will be published.

In comments to Baptist Press about the oral arguments, Wussow said:

"The faith community forms the backbone of the child welfare system in our country that consistently answers the call when vulnerable children need help and a safe home. We were encouraged by the oral argument today and hopeful for a clear resolution of this case that allows faith-based child welfare agencies across the country to be able to serve children and foster families consistent with their convictions."

With the foster care system burdened by the number of children in need, the government should not hinder the ability of agencies like Catholic Social Services to serve its community simply because of their religious beliefs. When the court decides this case, it is our hope that it not only protects religious liberty but also protects the ability of faith-based groups to continue serving the children in Philadelphia who need safe and loving homes. For more on the oral arguments with quotes from the justices, see our explainer published earlier today.

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