U.S. — With the presidential election just weeks away, leading Democrats cautioned that it may take years to determine the winner, potentially up to four years to count every ballot.

Despite the ability of less-developed nations to count ballots by hand in significantly shorter timeframes, Democrats emphasized the high probability that tallying votes in swing states could extend right up to the 2028 presidential election.

“This isn’t something you can just rush,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Counting is a complex process. It starts with 1, goes to 2, then 3, and continues from there. When you exhaust fingers and toes, things only get more confusing. Plus, there’s the added challenge of waiting to see how many additional votes we might need. Realistically, we may not know the winner until it’s time to vote for the next president.”

Political analysts agreed that the odds of having results on election night were slim. “Counting isn’t exactly a quick task like something you learn as a toddler,” said one analyst. “Expecting the most advanced country in the world to count ballots in under four years is simply unreasonable.”

At press time, election officials in key states reassured the public that results would likely be in by the time George R.R. Martin releases The Winds of Winter.