Here's When Each State Starts Tallying Up Mail-In Ballots

By Damare Baker and Lillian Bautista, The Hill

04 November 20

 

ecord 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.