Pennsylvania TV station mistakenly airs test chart showing Harris won

A Pennsylvania television station sparked a slew of conspiracy theories when it broadcast the state’s presidential election results on a graphic, even though the election is days away.

The mistake happened on Sunday, but picked up steam on Wednesday as conservative media outlets, social media skeptics and conspiracy theorists picked up on it, with many claiming it was “proof” the election was rigged.

The issue occurred while the station was broadcasting a Formula 1 race. Viewers then noticed a graphic at the bottom of the screen showing Vice President Kamala Harris winning Pennsylvania with 52 percent, compared to former President Donald Trump’s 47 percent. This caused confusion and concern, with even Elon Musk, X’s chairman, stepping in, calling it a Freudian slip.

However, the station that was responsible says that the mistake was simply a test that accidentally succeeded on the show and that there is no evidence of any fraud.

In a statement, WNEP-TV says the numbers were “randomly generated test results set to help news organizations ensure their equipment is working properly before election night.” WNEP said it “regrets the error and apologizes for any confusion.” He said he had taken steps to ensure the mistake was not repeated.

WNEP-TV also noted that they would not have been able to access the vote count anyway because Pennsylvania law does not allow mail-in ballots to be removed from the envelopes until 7 a.m. on Election Day, and votes cannot be counted until after the close of votes at 20.00

Also, this mistake is not without precedent. A Detroit television station made a similar error in 2020, and in 2022, it happened in Arizona.

Yet the error is being held up as “proof” of election fraud and misconduct, particularly by Trump and his allies, without any evidence. Many supporters of the former president also pointed out that the Pennsylvania station is an ABC affiliate, as they often criticized the friendship between Harris and Dana Walden, a Disney Entertainment executive who oversees ABC News. However, the error only aired in the local market and was not affiliated with Disney ABC News.

In the weeks and days leading up to the election, officials across the country had their hands full fighting this disinformation. They insist that, despite these isolated incidents, the integrity of the electoral system in this country is intact.