As the November 5th US Presidential election draws closer, excitement and anticipation are reaching fever pitch. However, a recent incident involving a Pennsylvania television station has sparked controversy and raised questions about election preparedness.
ABC affiliate WNEP-TV mistakenly aired poll results during its coverage of the Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix, indicating a win for Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, a pivotal swing state. The results, displayed on the screen, showed Harris leading with 52% of the vote, compared to Republican challenger Donald Trump’s 47%. This prompted a wave of online criticism directed at the network, with many questioning the accuracy and professionalism of their reporting.
WNEP-TV has since apologized for the error, explaining that the numbers were “randomly generated” for equipment testing and were not reflective of any actual vote count. “Those numbers should not have appeared on the screen, and it was an error by WNEP that they did,” the station clarified to Daily Mail.
This incident, however, isn’t the first time a similar error has occurred. In October 2020, an ABC station in Detroit accidentally aired election results during an episode of ‘The Bachelorette,’ mistakenly showing Trump winning Michigan.
While the WNEP-TV incident highlights potential vulnerabilities in election reporting, a recent CNN poll reveals the close race in Pennsylvania. Conducted between October 23-28, the poll surveyed 819 likely voters and found Harris and Trump tied at 48%. Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, holds significant weight in the race for the White House, making this close contest even more crucial.
The poll further indicates that Harris leads Trump by 48% to 43% among likely voters in Michigan and by 51% to 45% in Wisconsin, two key battleground states that played a vital role in President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.
As the election approaches, the focus remains on the tight races in these crucial swing states. The CNN poll, despite the recent WNEP-TV incident, underscores the closeness of the contest and the potential for unexpected outcomes in Pennsylvania. The upcoming weeks will be crucial for both candidates, as they continue to campaign and appeal to voters in the hope of securing a win in this pivotal state.
