Transcript: David Becker on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Nov. 1, 2026

Key Points:

• Election results timing depends largely on how close races are, with officials working overnight to count ballots; close elections, especially in states like Alaska with remote voting, may take several days to finalize.
• Election monitoring is conducted by party-appointed observers from both Democrats and Republicans, ensuring transparency and adherence to procedures during ballot counting and mail ballot processing.
• In Alaska, ranked choice voting and a DOJ lawsuit alleging ballot confusion have sparked controversy, but state courts have upheld the ballot format and the state's election process, with Republican officials defending state sovereignty.
• The Department of Justice has filed last-minute lawsuits in several states alleging voter list issues, but courts, including those with Trump-appointed judges, have consistently rejected these cases, and election officials remain confident in the integrity of the process.
• Voter turnout is exceptionally high, with over 53 million ballots already cast nationwide and some states like Texas nearing record midterm participation levels days before Election Day.