In an unusual turn of events on Sunday, Pennsylvania’s ABC affiliate WNEP inadvertently aired simulated election results portraying Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris as securing a win in Pennsylvania with 52% of the vote. The incident, which occurred during live Formula 1 coverage, featured images showing Harris in the lead with 3,293,712 votes over Republican candidate Donald Trump’s 2,997,793 votes, or 47%. The unexpected display also listed Democratic Senator Bob Casey Jr. ahead of GOP candidate Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania’s senatorial race, causing confusion among viewers in a state widely regarded as a battleground in the upcoming election.

WNEP Scranton “mistakenly” showed the Pennsylvania results for the 2024 election.

The ABC News affiliate called it a “test” run.

You’ll never guess who they showed winning pic.twitter.com/VFL6ojIy7j

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 30, 2024

WNEP, attempting to mitigate backlash, labeled the incident a “technical error” and clarified that the numbers shown were “randomly generated test results” created to verify the operational integrity of election-night equipment. “Those numbers should not have appeared on the screen, and it was an error by WNEP that they did,” the station asserted in its statement. Additionally, WNEP apologized, acknowledging the unintended appearance of these test results and committing to measures to prevent a repeat occurrence.

Although WNEP described the figures as arbitrary and entirely disconnected from real vote tallies, the incident has fueled skepticism, given Pennsylvania’s prominence as a swing state pivotal to the electoral calculations of both major parties. The network’s explanation stated that simulated numbers like these help “ensure their equipment is working properly in advance of election night,” aiming to reassure viewers that such broadcast simulations are commonplace for procedural accuracy.

Critics argue, however, that the incident raises concerns about media impartiality and the handling of election information. The unauthorized airing of data purporting to show Harris as a victor has reignited discourse over the media’s role in shaping electoral narratives. Some conservative commentators highlight this misstep as reflective of broader biases within media circles, voicing concerns that such projections, even unintentionally displayed, might subtly prime public expectations toward specific outcomes. For voters in Pennsylvania, where RealClearPolitics currently averages a near tie with Trump edging out Harris by less than a percentage point, the display of Harris at a winning 52% could reinforce perceptions of a media tilt in favor of Democratic candidates.

With mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania only permitted to be opened beginning at 7 a.m. on Election Day, and with official counting scheduled to commence at 8 p.m., the numbers shown by WNEP could not plausibly relate to any ongoing tally. Nevertheless, with electronic voting and the validity of mail-in ballots being central to recent electoral debates, the appearance of any premature figures can be perceived as politically charged in its timing and in its potential impact on voter trust.

This incident recalls broader, longstanding conversations about public confidence in the voting process and election coverage, especially when the media plays such a visible role in conveying results. As an organization tasked with informing the public accurately, WNEP’s statement that it has “taken steps to ensure that it does not happen again” may be seen as too little, too late by those advocating for tighter controls and transparency in media reporting standards. Media watchers emphasize that heightened attention to procedural integrity is particularly essential in tightly contested swing states, where even an appearance of partiality could risk further polarization.

In the volatile environment surrounding the 2024 election, moments like these highlight the need for increased scrutiny around how and when electoral information is presented, as well as the lasting influence media can wield over the democratic process. By mistakenly presenting mock results showing a Democratic win, WNEP inadvertently provided critics with a fresh lens through which to view the broader, ongoing debate around perceived media favoritism. Given Pennsylvania’s crucial role in deciding the presidency, the error could have ramifications on public sentiment, not only in Pennsylvania but nationwide, as the presidential race intensifies in the final days before November.

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