Primary Tuesday in New York, Kentucky, and Virginia was a quiet one. There were no crowded victory parties or subdued concession speeches. There weren’t even many winners or losers. Instead of exit polls and vote tallying, reporters told viewers that they would likely have to wait another week for results in big-name races because of an increase in mail-in voting.
This is election night in the age of COVID-19 and a likely sign of what’s to come on Nov. 3.
Presidential pollsters, meanwhile, are scrambling to recalibrate their methods in the wake of unprecedented campaign and new voting standards. A lot is riding on the accuracy of polling this election cycle, especially after the fumbles of 2016, and research institutions are feeling the pressure. They fear that misrepresenting the outcome in November could lead to a further decay in public trust in news institutions and research organizations.