The 2020 election was no ordinary affair, and the stakes were high. It’s normal for people to feel disappointed when election results don’t align with their hopes and expectations, but the reverberations can take a toll on mental health. According to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association, 77% of voters report that politics is a significant source of stress and anxiety.
UTSA Psychology professor James Bray says voters tend to worry about a couple of things during elections, including pocketbook issues and life issues connected to their morals and beliefs. Bray suggests focusing on the things you can control right now, such as exercising, eating well and spending time with family. He also recommends taking in news media only in healthy doses and stepping away from social media if possible.
It can be challenging to keep up with the daily barrage of election-related news. It’s important to remember that the initial election night results are preliminary and could change as all valid ballots are counted in the days following Election Day and county boards upload updated results.
Some states may continue to process and count absentee, military/overseas, special, and affidavit ballots. Additionally, every state has a canvass process that examines the vote totals to ensure that all ballots were correctly recorded and that there are no clerical errors. This process can take several days and sometimes weeks to complete. These delays can create anxiety for voters waiting on the final results.