Journalists, civic organizations, policymakers, and technology executives are rightly focused on protecting the integrity of the elections. With so much at stake, concerns about disinformation, voter intimidation, and the voting process itself are top of mind.

When the polls close on November 3rd, however, democracy may face a new set of challenges. With record levels of mail-in voting, counting could last days or—in some jurisdictions—weeks after election day, leaving a void for speculation about ballot-rigging or other improprieties, even if there’s no evidence of wrongdoing and counts are performing as intended.

Fueling the flames of any controversy or question about the legitimacy of the election will be heightened rhetoric among supporters of the candidates, amplified by social media. This has the makings for an unprecedented constitutional crisis that could dwarf what we saw in 2000 with the Bush v. Gore legal fight. How can we be ready?

Read the full article about preparing for a contested election at The Aspen Institute.