Elections in the United States: What to expect from vote counting in each swing state

Counting of votes continues usa According to reports, it could move beyond election night, delaying the definition of the presidential race the new York TimesAlthough some states have more agile counting processes, estimates can be delayed by several days if the competition is very close, as the results are never official until their final certification.

In 2020, the pandemic prompted record numbers of people to vote by mail, resulting in large volumes of ballots being processed in many states for the first time. According to the outlet’s analysis, although voting by mail has declined in many jurisdictions, processing times for these ballots are slower than in-person voting.

Democrats also prefer voting by mail. This preference can lead to what experts call “wishful thinking” in early results, where the type of ballots counted first favors a party in a way that is not representative of the final result. As noted below, this is particularly noticeable in some key states.

majority of voters Georgia They vote quickly and in person, making counting relatively quick. The percentage of mail-in ballots in this state is set to drop to 6% in 2022 compared to 25% in 2020, which should speed up early reporting of results. However, the state will continue to process corrected mail-in ballots, overseas citizen ballots and provisional ballots in the days following the election.

In 2020, the count in Georgia lasted more than two weeks before victory was declared. Joseph R. biden jr., which required a manual audit due to the narrow margin in the presidential race. The Associated Press The results were officially declared after the state confirmed Biden’s lead by about 12,000 votes.

North Carolina Implemented new early voting rules that may affect the reporting of results. Mail-in ballots must now be delivered on Election Day, whereas in 2020 there was a nine-day deadline for ballots postmarked to arrive that day. In the last election, it took 10 days for North Carolina to be declared the winner Donald J. Trump Due to the narrow margin and additional ballots received in the following days.

A recount of votes in this state may be requested if the difference between candidates is 0.5% or less, or if the number of votes cast is less than 10,000, as established by North Carolina election rules.

In pennsylvaniaIn one of the most contested states, counting mail-in votes has presented a logistical challenge. In 2020, it took 10 days for the state to declare Biden the winner, as mail-in ballots, which typically favor democratic partyAs reported, the count was conducted after polls closed, giving Trump an early advantage. the new York TimesIn this election, counting may be faster due to new technologies and additional processing requirements. If the margin in the race is 0.5% or less, an automatic recount will be activated, as was the case in the last election, where the final margin was 1.2% in Biden’s favor.

michigan Significant reforms have been implemented since 2020, including enabling nine days of early voting and the ability to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day. In 2020, preliminary results showed Trump ahead, described as a “red illusion” as many Democratic ballots came in in the following days. This trend changed in 2022, and state officials have indicated that the process should be more agile this election. Under Michigan rules, an automatic recount is triggered if the margin in a statewide election is less than 2,000 votes.

In wisconsinElection officials are required to process ballots overnight until counting is complete, although complete unofficial results may not be available until the next morning. In 2020, the count showed an early advantage for Trump, which reversed in the final results when thousands of ballots were returned from the city. milwaukeeA democratic bastion. This pattern, according to the new York TimesNot repeated in the 2022 election, a recount may be requested in Wisconsin if the margin between candidates is 1% or less.

Arizona There are potential delays in reporting results due to the number of mail-in ballots. Although officials can process ballots received before Election Day, they must wait until polls close to count ballots received that day. in the county of MaricopaWhere the largest number of voters are concentrated, two-page ballots could delay counting and full results could take 10 to 13 days, according to local officials.

In 2020, the election night count in Arizona was estimated fox newsand agency AP A few hours later they did the same, although the media liked it the new York Times He waited until he was sure Trump no longer had a chance of catching Biden, which he confirmed nine days later.

In SnowCounting of mail-in votes may be faster than in previous years due to the implementation of new technology, although ballots posted as of the election date may be received up to four days later, and voters have more time to correct errors. There will be time till 12th November. Your ballot. In 2020, associated Press Biden was declared the winner in this state four days after the election, while ballots were mainly pending in the county clarkeNevada allows any candidate to request a recount, but if the recount does not change the outcome the cost must be borne by the requester.

In Florida99% of votes are routinely reported by midnight of the election, and in other states, such as alabama And tennesseeThey also have faster processes. In other states with predominantly mail-in voting, such as CaliforniaFinal results may take several days or even weeks. In alaskaDue to their preferential voting systems in federal and state elections, some absentee ballots will continue to be counted until 15 days after the election.

In WashingtonReporting of full and unofficial results typically takes five to seven days, while in other states, such as Wyoming And W.V.Most votes are counted by noon the next day.

Election officials in the United States continue to adopt changes and technology to speed up processes, although logistical and regulatory factors remain that make immediate counts difficult in many states, the analysis concluded. the new York Times,