TechFlow news, November 5 — With the U.S. 2024 general election voting day approaching, election experts are warning voters to pay attention to the phenomena of the "red mirage" and "blue shift," according to CNN. The red mirage refers to a scenario where Republican candidates may temporarily lead after polls close, but Democratic candidates could gradually overtake them as mail-in ballots are counted.
CNN reported that this phenomenon stems from the widespread use of mail-in voting and varying vote-counting rules across states. In the 2020 election, mail-in ballot counting in Democratic-leaning states such as California led to an overall "blue shift." In Georgia, Joe Biden did not pull ahead until the early hours of November 6 due to the counting of small batches of ballots.
Experts emphasize that although news media may project winners when results become clear, the official deadline for all states to certify their results is December 11, 2024. Before then, states must complete any potential recounts and resolve disputes over the presidential election outcome.
