Why Do Some States Take Weeks to Count Votes?
Reviewed:
A slow count isn't a sign of a problem. It mostly reflects how a state votes and what its laws allow.
The main reasons
- Mail ballots that arrive late. Many states count mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive in the days after; California, for one, accepts them for a week. Those ballots can't be counted until they arrive. See which states do this on still counting.
- When processing may start. Some states let officials open and check mail ballots weeks ahead; others, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, can't start until Election Day, so the work piles up.
- Checking signatures. Ballots with a missing or mismatched signature are set aside, and voters get time to fix ("cure") them.
- Provisional ballots are counted only after election officials confirm the voter was eligible.
- Ranked-choice voting. In Alaska and Maine, if no one has a majority, the instant-runoff tally waits until all ballots are in.
- Big states, many ballots. California and other large mail-voting states simply have millions of envelopes to open and verify.
Why leads change
Different kinds of ballots are counted at different times, and they can lean in different directions. A candidate ahead on election night can fall behind as later ballots are added, or the other way around. That's normal, and it's why close races go uncalled for days.
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures, "Table 11: Receipt and Postmark Deadlines for Absentee/Mail Ballots" and "Table 16: When Absentee/Mail Ballot Processing and Counting Can Begin".
Questions and answers
Why do some states take weeks to count votes?
Mostly mail ballots: many states count ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive later, some can't start processing them until Election Day, and voters get time to fix signature problems.
Does a slow count mean something is wrong?
No. It reflects how a state votes and what its laws allow. Careful counting of millions of mail ballots takes time.
Why can a candidate's lead change after election night?
Different kinds of ballots, such as early, mail and Election Day votes, are counted at different times and can lean in different directions.
More explainers
- When Will We Know Who Won the House and Senate?
- How Election Recounts Work: Thresholds, Costs and Odds
- Georgia's December 1 Runoff Explained
- What Is a Lame-Duck Session of Congress?
- When Do Newly Elected Members of Congress and Governors Take Office?
- Redistricting in 2026: Which States Redrew Their House Maps
- How Congress Picks Its Party Leaders After the 2026 Midterms
- New Member Orientation: What Happens Before the New Congress
- How Do News Outlets Call an Election Race?
See an error on this page? Let us know · Missing something? Suggest it