The U.S. presidential election will be decided in just two days’ time, although we all know the final results might not come in until Wednesday morning.
My encouragement is to get out and vote, and to educate yourself about how voting works in the U.S. to stay up on the Electoral College process.
For those on social media, there is a way to track election results that might be helpful as a way to augment major media coverage.
Here are a few ways to keep track of the results on Tuesday.
1. Voting locations
Social media is the polar opposite of what you will see on major media including the cable news channels. That’s because it is more authentic and reality-based. That is most true when it comes to behind the scenes posts and video clips showing voting locations. I’m planning to check a few local influencers I know who will likely record clips of the lines forming. Exit polling is also something that is normally included in network television coverage, but I prefer following people who record video clips of those who have just voted and are willing to talk.
2. Statistics and results
Social media is a good aggregator of analytics data, especially if you are looking for something that is unfiltered. Links and charts are easy to find. While X (formerly Twitter) has made it harder to determine what is a link you can click on, preferring that you stay within the app, you can still find plenty of statistical data and keep track of voting in your state and on a national level.
3. Swing state viewpoints
This election, like many in the past, is all about the swing states, so social media will provide a good, unfiltered perspective from those who live in places like North Carolina and Pennsylvania. X is my preferred platform for checking on posts from influencers and pundits, especially more regional influencers.
4. Highly localized opinions
For even more localized viewpoints, Facebook is really the best social media platform for me. I enjoy seeing posts from friends and family (and acquaintances) who voted or who have a final viewpoint to offer. In fact, Facebook is really where I gauge what my friends are thinking about the election—and it’s a great way to track who voted from your close circle.
5. Checking for fraud
Be careful with this one, because there are a lot of erroneous reports during the election season. That said, if there’s an influencer you trust or someone you actually know in person posting about something that is misleading or confusing at the voting locations, it at least gives you a heads-up to check into it further. I’m not sure how many of these posts are trustworthy, so use discretion.
