Asked and answered: What readers want to know about the election
            Updated Oct. 12 at 2:47 p.m.
            The 2020 election will be like no other, as the novel coronavirus continues to affect everything from the structure of debates and campaign events to how Americans can vote. The rules around mail-in and absentee ballots as well as President Trump’s frequent assertions that the outcome of the election could be unknown for months have confused many people.
            So far, The Washington Post has collected and organized 173 questions from readers about this challenging election season. Many of the questions fall into common themes, and this guide provides links to reporting that holds the answers to those frequently referenced topic areas. We are updating the guide twice a day, and the topics are reordered below with the most frequently asked election questions.
            You can keep asking us questions?here.
            Featured question
            “Is there a procedure in place just in case a sitting president refuses to concede the election?”
            —Bonnie from Florida
            A recent episode of 'Can He Do That?', The Washington Post's political podcast, contended with this exact question. President Trump has declined to say whether he'd accept the results of the 2020 election, whatever they may be. He's baselessly attacked the security of mail-balloting, suggesting the outcome may be rigged.
            In the event that Trump loses the election, Lawrence Douglas, a law professor at Amherst College who wrote a book on the subject called “Will He Go? Trump and the Looming Election Meltdown in 2020,” said he finds it unlikely that the president will need to be forcibly removed from the Oval Office on Inauguration Day. Instead, Douglas said he thinks the “real danger” is whether Trump discounts large swaths of mail-in ballots counted after Election Day.
            "We've never seen a incumbent president expressing such disregard of basic constitutional norms," Douglas said on the show. "That's the real wild card."
            The American system “presupposes” there will be a peaceful transition of power between presidents, Douglas said. The pandemic has ensured that this will be an unprecedented election. Record numbers of Americans have already cast their vote by mail. Douglas said some swing states could take days or weeks to count all the ballots they’ve received and that will play into the president’s skepticism and constitutional brinkmanship. Trump could create some ambiguity about who each state’s electors should be awarded to.
            When the House and the Senate open the electoral college ballots and count them on Jan. 6, if there’s any confusion around who’s won a particular state or if there’s a tie, then many legal experts agree (though it is subject to some legal interpretation) that a vote then goes to the House, where the candidate has to win a simple majority of the states, so 26 states. States in this case vote as a block instead of as individual representatives. If a simple majority of states can’t be reached or that voting process goes on longer than it’s supposed to, then the next person in succession, according to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, would be sworn in as acting president on Jan. 20.
            —Allison Michaels, host of 'Can He Do That?' for The Washington Post
            The Post has collected 56 new questions in the last 14 days. Categories are organized by frequency of most recent questions. Change in interest is based on questions asked in the last 4 weeks.
            5% unchanged interest over last 4 weeks Mail-in and absentee voting
            -22% less interest over last 4 weeks Ballot drop-off
            +150% more interest over last 4 weeks Early voting
            Resources
            The coronavirus has affected the way many Americans plan to vote, with many states expanding access to mail-in voting. As of Sept. 25, more than 198 million Americans are eligible to cast a ballot by mail. Here’s what you need to know:
            How to prevent your mail ballot from being rejected
            Map: Which states can cast ballots by mail
            Video: Understanding absentee voting, mail-in voting and early voting
            100% more interest over last 4 weeks Barriers to voting
            -75% less interest over last 4 weeks In-person voting
            -67% less interest over last 4 weeks State and local races
            Resources
            The coronavirus has affected the way many Americans plan to vote, with many states expanding access to mail-in voting. As of Sept. 25, more than 198 million Americans are eligible to cast a ballot by mail. Here’s what you need to know:
            How to prevent your mail ballot from being rejected
            Map: Which states can cast ballots by mail
            Video: Understanding absentee voting, mail-in voting and early voting
            100% more interest over last 4 weeks The policies and issues
            0% unchanged interest over last 4 weeks Registering to vote
            100% more interest over last 4 weeks Determining who wins
            Resources
            The coronavirus has affected the way many Americans plan to vote, with many states expanding access to mail-in voting. As of Sept. 25, more than 198 million Americans are eligible to cast a ballot by mail. Here’s what you need to know:
            How to prevent your mail ballot from being rejected
            Map: Which states can cast ballots by mail
            Video: Understanding absentee voting, mail-in voting and early voting
            100% more interest over last 4 weeks Volunteering
            0% unchanged interest over last 4 weeks Election integrity
            Resources
            The coronavirus has affected the way many Americans plan to vote, with many states expanding access to mail-in voting. As of Sept. 25, more than 198 million Americans are eligible to cast a ballot by mail. Here’s what you need to know:
            How to prevent your mail ballot from being rejected
            Map: Which states can cast ballots by mail
            Video: Understanding absentee voting, mail-in voting and early voting
            Methodology
            Wondering how this works? Here's an explanation:
            Tell The Post what you want to know about the 2020 election.
            Reporters are interested in any questions about the election, but it’s helpful to ask a question that addresses a common concern or issue with the election or campaigns. You can also ask about how something works, such as mail-in ballots or the electoral college. If you’re comfortable doing so, please explain why you’re asking the question and how the answer may impact your life.
            A Post journalist will read your question.
            We’re reading every query and categorizing questions into topic areas, such as “ballot drop-off,” “poll workers” or “swing states.” The categories help us understand what topics people may have the most questions about and how that’s changed over time. A reporter may also email or call you to get more context regarding your submission.
            We’ll send questions to different parts of the newsroom.
            When we notice trends or find a question worth answering on its own, we’ll send those submissions to the appropriate team in the newsroom.
            A reader’s question may inform reporting efforts that are already underway. In some cases, a question will become the basis for an entire article. If we answer your question directly, we’ll email you.
            About
            Written by Tom Johnson. Curated by Teddy Amenabar, Eliza Goren, Tom Johnson, Steven Johnson and Nia Decaille. Edited by Everdeen Mason. Design and development by Jake Crump. 
            
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