US elections 2024: Why some US states will take longer to count the votes

Election Day has arrived across the United States, and the question of when results will be announced is on everyone’s minds.

While some states will be able to release outcomes on election night, others will require days or even weeks to complete their counts.

This disparity arises from a range of factors, including protocols for processing mail-in and provisional ballots, recount procedures, and logistical challenges in different states.

Since there is no overarching federal vote-counting process, each state’s unique laws and resources create different timelines for reporting results, leading to differing speeds across the country.

So, what factors contribute to these counting delays?

Mail-in and absentee ballots

The handling of mail-in ballots is one of the primary reasons for counting delays.

Due to days-long wait, many states overhauled their election laws to make it faster to count votes by mail, absentee and overseas ballots.

However, in states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, state legislatures have not made similar changes to election procedures.

These states can not legally start the process of ballots until Election Day, which leads to a backlog that election officials must manage in real-time.

The steps involved in mail-in ballot processing — from signature verification to envelope removal — require extra time and meticulous attention.

By contrast, Florida, which allows ballot processing ahead of Election Day, is often able to deliver results sooner.

This early start in processing ballots helps minimise delays; however, in states lacking such provisions, the counting process can extend well beyond election night.

Provisional ballots and identity verification

Provisional ballots add another dimension to the delays in states like Georgia and North Carolina, where these ballots require additional verification steps.

Provisional ballots are issued when there are questions about a voter’s eligibility, such as missing ID or questions about registration status.

In Georgia,these ballots allow voters up to three days after Election Day to submit the necessary identification documents, ensuring that eligible voters’ ballots are counted, extending the counting period.

North Carolina, on the other hand, grants voters until November 14 to resolve any identification issues, adding nearly two weeks to the final tallying of votes​.

Tight margins and potential recounts

In swing states, recounts are often mandated if vote margins are within a certain threshold, which can further prolong the final result.

Georgia, for instance, has previously seen recounts due to narrow margins in the vote tally.

In 2020, Georgia’s hand recount of presidential ballots took over two weeks, revealing how recounts, while essential for accuracy, add considerable time to the process.

Such close margins can trigger recounts in many states, requiring all ballots to be reviewed and sometimes hand-verified and ultimately slowing the release of official results.

Infrastructure and logistical challenges

The infrastructure and resources available to election officials play a crucial role in determining the speed of vote counting.

For example, Arizona, a state with modern systems and centralised counting facilities, can manage the process more effectively than those with limited resources.

However, even Arizona faces logistical challenges due to its high volume of mail-in ballots and large voter population.

In Maricopa County, Arizona’s largest voting district, the two-page ballot design alone requires significant time to process, leading officials to project that full tabulation may take over a week​.