In an incident sparking outrage and adding fuel to election integrity concerns, a Pennsylvania ABC affiliate, WNEP-TV, accidentally aired “test” election results showing Vice President Kamala Harris defeating President Trump by a margin of 52%-47%. This unusual “leak” appeared on screens across the Scranton area as viewers tuned in to watch the Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix on Sunday—two days before Election Day on November 5.
WNEP Scranton PA already has the election results posted. @elonmusk @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/eWR1oABWbK
— PrisonElvis (@elivislives) October 27, 2024
Viewers quickly noticed the displayed “results” were premature, considering Pennsylvania voters haven’t even cast their ballots yet. With polls currently showing the race at a near deadlock, the “result” favoring Harris by a significant margin immediately raised eyebrows, especially among Republicans, who have reportedly turned out in strong numbers for early voting compared to 2020.
WNEP later scrambled to address the situation, issuing a public statement that labeled the incident an error. The station explained that the numbers were merely “randomly generated test results” used to ensure broadcast systems were functioning properly ahead of election night and insisted they did not reflect any actual voting data. “Those numbers should not have appeared on the screen,” WNEP said. “We regret the error and apologize for any confusion.”
The statement, however, did little to quell suspicions, with many questioning the credibility of “test results” consistently showing Democrats in the lead. Pennsylvania’s election is set to be one of the nation’s most closely watched, and this mishap has only fueled skepticism among voters already concerned about election transparency and security.
This isn’t an isolated incident, either. Last year, an Arizona news station mistakenly aired “test” results showing Democrat Katie Hobbs defeating Republican Kari Lake in the state’s gubernatorial race—a full 12 days before that election. In that case, as in this one, the station issued a hasty apology, calling it a technical error.
The fact that these “errors” seem to trend in one direction hasn’t gone unnoticed. The concern is simple: what if a major network had accidentally displayed Trump winning in a critical swing state? The outrage would likely be deafening, with calls for oversight and accountability from all corners.
As Election Day draws closer, incidents like this one at WNEP-TV are likely to amplify calls for heightened transparency and scrutiny. Whether or not it was an honest mistake, the mishap plays directly into existing concerns about media bias and election security, making a case for stricter controls on how and when election data is handled by news organizations.
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