Many voters have questions about the process for counting and certifying election results. These articles help you understand the processes and factors that affect when results become final.
The Electoral College is the mechanism that determines the winner of the U.S. presidency based on the number of electoral votes received by each state. Almost all states edict that the winner of the statewide popular vote (‘one person, one vote’) shall receive all of that state’s electoral votes (“winner-takes-all”). A few states use a different method for assigning their electors: Nebraska and Maine award a portion of their electors based on districts. Historically, the winning candidate has usually won all states, but close elections can result in a tie.
In some states, election results are not final until the official canvass is complete. This can take days, sometimes weeks. During this time, election officials carefully examine each ballot to make sure that all votes have been counted correctly.
During this period, election officials might have to deal with requests for recounts. Recount rules vary from state to state, but in most cases the trailing candidate has the right to request a recount if the vote margin between the top two candidates is within a certain threshold. During a recount, ballots are examined by hand or fed back through voting machines to see if the first count was incorrect.
Election results reported on election night are never the final, certified results. That’s why it is important for election officials to communicate clearly to voters how they determine winners and when election results will be finalized.