Here's When Each State Starts Tallying Up Mail-In Ballots
By Damare Baker and Lillian Bautista, The Hill
04 November 20
Record numbers of mail-in and absentee ballots cast have many voters
wondering how soon their state and others will begin tallying up those
votes.
Many states can start processing ballots before Election Day, even if they
don't start counting them until Tuesday. Either way, the results are never
released until after polls close in that state.
Below is a list of when each state starts counting up ballots cast before
Election Day.
Alabama
Alabama will begin counting mail-in ballots after polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Alaska
Alaska will start tallying up the ballots after polls close at 12 a.m. ET on
Wednesday.
Arizona
Arizona began tallying preelection ballots on Oct. 20.
Arkansas
Absentee votes will start being counted up on Election Day before the polls
close at 9 p.m. ET.
California
California will tally mail-in votes after polls close at 11 p.m. ET.
Colorado
Mail-in ballot counting began on Oct. 19 in Colorado.
Connecticut
Connecticut will count absentee ballots on Election Day, with start times
varying by locality.
Delaware
Delaware started counting mail-in ballots on Oct. 30.
District of Columbia
Mail-in ballots will be counted when the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Florida
The Sunshine State began counting absentee ballots on Oct. 12.
Georgia
Georgia will count absentee ballots after polls open Election Day.
Hawaii
Hawaii began counting mail-in ballots on Oct. 24.
Idaho
Idaho will start counting absentee ballots when the polls close at 10 p.m.
ET.
Illinois
Ballot counting will begin no later than 8 p.m. ET, when the polls close.
Indiana
Counties can decide if they want to start counting ballots as early as 6
a.m. ET on Election Day.
Iowa
Absentee ballots will be counted by 11 p.m. ET on Election Day.
Kansas
Advance voting ballots may be counted before Election Day.
Kentucky
Kentucky will begin counting absentee ballots at 8 a.m. ET on Election Day.
Louisiana
Mail-in ballots will be counted when the polls close at 9 p.m. ET, but the
start time varies by parish.
Maine
Absentee ballots will be counted when the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Maryland
Maryland began counting ballots on Oct. 1.
Massachusetts
Absentee ballots will be counted after the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Michigan
Election officials can start counting absentee ballots after the polls open
at 7 a.m. ET.
Minnesota
Minnesota will count absentee ballots after the polls close at 9 p.m ET.
Mississippi
Absentee ballots will be counted after the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Missouri
Absentee ballots will be counted on Election Day, but start time varies by
county.
Montana
Counting of absentee ballots began on Monday.
Nebraska
Nebraska started counting mail-in ballots on Monday.
Nevada
Absentee and vote-by-mail ballots will be counted after polls close at 10
p.m. ET.
New Hampshire
Absentee ballots will be counted after polls close at 7 p.m. ET.
New Jersey
New Jersey started counting mail-in ballots on Oct. 24.
New Mexico
Absentee and early in-person ballots will be counted after polls close at 9
p.m. ET.
New York
Early ballots will be counted after polls close at 9 p.m. ET.
North Carolina
North Carolina began counting absentee ballots on Oct. 20.
North Dakota
Absentee and vote-by-mail ballots will be counted after polls close on
Election Day. Polls may stay open until 10 p.m. ET, depending on locality.
Ohio
Absentee ballots will start being counted when polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Oklahoma
Absentee ballots will be counted on Election Day, but county election boards
can begin the process beforehand with approval from the secretary of State
Election Board.
Oregon
Oregon started counting ballots on Oct. 27.
Pennsylvania
Early ballots will be counted when the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Rhode Island
Mail-in ballots will be counted after the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
South Carolina
Absentee ballots will begin being counted at 9 a.m. ET on Election Day.
South Dakota
Absentee ballots will be counted after polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
Tennessee
Absentee ballots will be counted after the polls close on Election Day. Poll
closing times vary by county.
Texas
Vote-by-mail ballots will begin being counted once polls open on Election
Day. In counties consisting of a population with 100,000 or more
individuals, ballots can be counted following the end of the in-person early
voting period on Oct. 30.
Utah
Utah can start counting mail-in ballots before Election Day.
Vermont
Absentee ballots will be counted on Election Day.
Virginia
Virginia will count absentee ballots after polls close at 7 p.m. ET.
Washington
Absentee ballots will be tallied after polls close at 11 p.m. ET.
West Virginia
Absentee votes will be counted after the polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin will count absentee ballots after polls open at 8 p.m. ET.
Wyoming
Absentee ballots will be counted when the polls open on Election Day.
