Tabulation is concluding, here’s what comes next
Recount, certification, contest, and audit timelines across key states
Post-vote processes across states are still ongoing, proceeding as expected and as prescribed. These processes take time to complete, meaning in some states the post-vote steps will not conclude until close to or after Thanksgiving.
Tabulation is wrapping up across most states with the final counting of provisional and overseas ballots. A few states are taking up recounts, like Pennsylvania, where an automatic recount has been triggered in the U.S. Senate race. Pennsylvania was slightly delayed in the initial vote counting process and will immediately begin recounts as soon as the first count is complete, no later than next Wednesday. The results from the recount are due no later than Tuesday, Nov. 26 at noon, with results published Wednesday, Nov. 27. Following the recount, Pennsylvania will undergo a risk-limiting audit, which means post-vote processes will likely not conclude until right before Thanksgiving.
If they haven’t already, states that completed tabulation will soon move into county canvassing and certification, soon to be followed by state certification.
Below, we've outlined the upcoming steps in election administration across key states based on where they are in the post-vote process.
We'll continue to send updates on what's taking place through to state certification, as well as keep our Post-Vote Tracker current.
Finalizing Tabulation
Tabulation has concluded in Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia, and tabulation is scheduled to be completed today in Arizona. Here’s what’s still outstanding:
Florida: Today is the deadline for UOCAVA ballots to be received by Supervisors of Elections. These ballots must be tabulated in time for county certification on Monday, Nov. 18.
Michigan: Tabulation is mostly finished, with Calhoun County notably still in progress as the county works to address errors caused by a software issue.
Note: According to MLive, litigation has been filed (seemingly in bad faith) by Republican Michigan House candidate Steve Frisbie, challenging the county’s power to address the issue by re-tabulating the votes affected by the error.
Ohio: Provisional ballot processing is ongoing (cure deadline was Nov. 9).
Pennsylvania: Counties have substantially completed the tabulation of the remaining mail-in and provisional ballots. However, some counties held provisional ballot challenge hearings yesterday, with more being held today Friday, Nov. 15, to determine whether certain provisional ballots will be counted. And there is currently litigation challenging the counting of undated and misdated mail-in ballots in several counties.
Certification
When tabulation is complete, states turn to the next step: certification of the election.
Arizona:
County canvasses are underway in some counties, though most counties beginning next week. The deadline to start is no later than Thursday, Nov. 21.
After receiving certified results from all counties, the Secretary of State starts the state canvass no later than Monday, Nov. 25.
Florida:
Although some counties, such as Orange County, can certify their results sooner, the deadline for counties to certify their returns and file them with the Department of State is by noon on Monday, Nov. 18.
The Elections Canvassing Commission must meet at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, to certify statewide results for federal, state, and multi-county offices.
Georgia:
All Georgia Counties have now been certified. The deadline for the Secretary of State to certify federal and statewide races is Friday, Nov. 22.
Michigan:
County canvassing began Thursday, Nov. 7, and is ongoing. The deadline for county certification is Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Nevada:
County canvasses are ongoing. The deadline for county certification is today, Nov. 15.
North Carolina:
The deadline for county certification is today, Nov. 15.
Ohio:
The official canvass began Monday, Nov. 11, and is ongoing. The deadline for county certification is Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Pennsylvania:
Virginia:
Today, Friday, Nov. 15, is the deadline for Electoral Boards to certify their results.
Wisconsin:
County canvasses must have begun already in all counties. The deadline to complete that process and certify the county election results is Tuesday, Nov. 19, when County Boards of Canvassers must deliver certified results to the Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC).
Contests
In Georgia, for counties that certified their results on Friday, Nov. 8 (i.e., immediately after the 5 p.m. deadline for UOCAVA ballots to be received and for vote-by-mail and provisional ballots to be cured), the deadline to contest results in those counties is this coming Monday, Nov. 18. For Georgia counties that certified their results on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the deadline to contest results in those counties is Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Audits
Arizona:
12 counties have reported completing hand count audits, with either no discrepancies found or discrepancies found within the acceptable margin.
2 counties (Apache and LaPaz) did not perform hand count audits, due to the county political parties not appointing enough people to conduct the audit.
1 county has yet to report results.
Florida:
Unless a hand recount was conducted, most County Canvassing Boards will conduct a post-election audit of their voting machines shortly after 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18.
Georgia:
Counties were required to begin risk-limiting audits by yesterday, Thursday, Nov. 14, and these may still be ongoing today.
Nevada:
The Risk-Limiting Audit must be completed by today, Friday, Nov. 15.
The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Audit must be completed by today, Friday, Nov. 15.
North Carolina:
Precincts were chosen for the hand count audit on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and the audit must be completed by today, Friday, Nov. 15.
Pennsylvania:
The risk-limiting audit ordered by the Secretary of State is underway. On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the State Treasurer race was randomly selected.
During the county canvass this week and next, Boards of Elections are also conducting a statistical audit of a random sample of either 2% of votes cast or 2,000 votes, whichever is less.
Virginia:
Today, Friday, Nov. 15., is the deadline for localities to request permission from the State Board of Elections to conduct a non-mandatory risk-limiting audit.
Mandatory risk-limiting audits will be conducted Tuesday, Nov. 19 – Friday, Nov. 22.
Wisconsin:
The post-election voting equipment audit is ongoing and must be complete by Monday, Nov. 25.
Recounts
Arizona: Races within a .5% margin are sent to an automatic recount. Currently, at least one State House race (District No.2) is within this margin as well as several county-level races. State-ordered recounts will begin after the Secretary of State conducts its canvass (which they must begin no later than Monday, Nov. 25) and files for a court order. Additionally, for county-level recounts, such as the Maricopa County Supervisors District 3 and Pima County Sheriff races, the appropriate County Board of Supervisors will file for a court order after the county finishes its canvass next week.
Florida: Any recounts must be completed by Monday, Nov. 18.
Pennsylvania: On Wednesday, Nov. 13 the Secretary of State ordered a recount of the U.S. Senate race based on unofficial results showing the margin within .5%. County Boards of Elections must begin the recount once they finish their initial counting of all ballots and no later than Wednesday, Nov. 20, and report results no later than noon on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The results of the recount will be published on Wednesday, Nov. 27.