Why mail voting laws may slow the count in some key swing states
2 years, 4 months ago

Why mail voting laws may slow the count in some key swing states

NPR  

Why mail voting laws may slow the count in some key swing states Enlarge this image toggle caption Gene J. Puskar/AP Gene J. Puskar/AP Follow live updates and results from Election Day 2022 here. That includes the key swing states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where prep work cannot start until 7 a.m. local time on Election Day. This restriction puts those states' election officials at a disadvantage in terms of turnaround times — especially when compared to states where both pre-canvassing and counting are allowed to start before Election Day. Sponsor Message Still, with close to 2 million mail-in ballots requested in Michigan as of last week — and more than 1.4 million in Pennsylvania — election officials in these closely watched states will have plenty of work left to do after the ballots are processed and ready for counting.

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History of this topic

Why Pennsylvania’s election results will take time to count
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Why Pennsylvania’s election results will take time to count

Raw Story  

The country is unlikely to know who wins the battleground state of Pennsylvania on election night. Prior to 2020, local election officials never needed to count such a large number of ballots received through the mail, and news organizations could typically announce Pennsylvania’s unofficial winner quickly. Counting may also take less time because election officials have more experience counting the …

Tracking the Status of Your Ballot in the 2024 US Presidential Election
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Tracking the Status of Your Ballot in the 2024 US Presidential Election

Hindustan Times  

The 2024 US presidential election is nearing its conclusion, with nearly 34.4 million mail-in ballots having been returned. The process of tallying these ballots takes longer and depends on the state, with final confirmation taking several weeks. However, voters can track the status of their ballots online in many states, providing a sense of reassurance and control over the voting …

Michigan may have a result much sooner in 2024 than it did in 2020
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Michigan may have a result much sooner in 2024 than it did in 2020

NPR  

Michigan may have a result much sooner in 2024 than it did in 2020 toggle caption Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images In 2020, the presidential race in Michigan wasn’t called until nearly 6 p.m. the day after Election Day — roughly 22 hours after polls closed. Changes to Michigan election law have expanded early voting in the state, and now …

Vote-counting rules in battleground states complicate when a winner is likely to be named
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Vote-counting rules in battleground states complicate when a winner is likely to be named

LA Times  

Unless polling that portends a paper-thin margin between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump is completely wrong — a possibility because of dizzying changes in how voters cast ballots as well as a pandemic-prompted overhaul of election laws — Americans should plan on going to bed Tuesday night without knowing who won the White House. It’s hard to …

This year’s vote count will be faster, but it still might take time to know who won
5 months ago

This year’s vote count will be faster, but it still might take time to know who won

Politico  

“It should be sooner, but also be patient,” said Barb Byrum, the Ingham County, Michigan, clerk. The lower number of mail ballots — combined with the additional four years that election officials have had to refine their vote-counting processes — should make results available faster. But the lower number of mail ballots — combined with the additional four years that …

Trump-Appointed Appeals Court Judges Rule in Favor of Mississippi on Ballot Receipt After Election Day
5 months, 1 week ago

Trump-Appointed Appeals Court Judges Rule in Favor of Mississippi on Ballot Receipt After Election Day

CNN  

A federal appeals court judges have ruled that Mississippi's post-election mail ballot receipt violates federal law. The ruling could impact legal challenges to late-arriving ballots in other states, which could make a difference in key races. The court's decision is only binding on the three Southern states covered by the circuit, and for now, the panel is not ordering that …

This year’s Electoral College map may show another ‘blue shift.’ Here’s why
5 months, 3 weeks ago

This year’s Electoral College map may show another ‘blue shift.’ Here’s why

NPR  

This year’s Electoral College map may show another ‘blue shift.’ Here’s why toggle caption Byambasuren Byamba-Ochir/AFP via Getty Images The counting of ballots can take longer in some places than in others. An analysis of the 2020 election by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab concluded that the differences in how quickly counties reported their results were “driven by …

Election experts raise alarms about vote counting delays in battleground states
6 months, 1 week ago

Election experts raise alarms about vote counting delays in battleground states

CNN  

CNN — In Pennsylvania, officials are bracing for another presidential election in which the state could once again be the decisive battleground and take days to determine the winner. In Georgia, election officials can begin processing absentee ballots ahead of Election Day and a new law since the 2020 presidential election requires counties to report to the secretary of state …

1,900 New Jersey ballots whose envelopes were opened early must be counted, judge rules
9 months, 3 weeks ago

1,900 New Jersey ballots whose envelopes were opened early must be counted, judge rules

Associated Press  

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. TRENTON, N.J. — A state judge on Friday ruled that some 1,900 mail ballots in a New Jersey county whose envelopes were prematurely opened should be accepted and counted. Superior Court Judge Michael J. Blee ruled from the bench in the case involving 1,909 mail ballots in southern New Jersey’s …

Nevada can start tabulating ballots earlier on Election Day for quicker results
10 months, 1 week ago

Nevada can start tabulating ballots earlier on Election Day for quicker results

Associated Press  

RENO, Nev. — Nevada election officials can start tabulating in-person Election Day votes as they come in, rather than waiting for polls to close in an effort to get results out quicker, Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said Wednesday. Aguilar cited state law in making the recommendation to county election officials that also include tabulating mail ballots as early …

Democrats advance election bill in Pennsylvania long sought by counties to process ballots faster
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Democrats advance election bill in Pennsylvania long sought by counties to process ballots faster

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill long sought by counties seeking help to manage huge influxes of mail-in ballots during elections in the presidential battleground state and to avoid a repeat of 2020’s drawn-out vote count. Counties have sought that kind of a provision for years, even before 2020’s presidential election, to give them …

Election 2024: Why does each state in the U.S. have different voting rules?
1 year, 2 months ago

Election 2024: Why does each state in the U.S. have different voting rules?

Associated Press  

In Louisiana, any voter can cast a ballot in person during early voting ahead of Election Day. A voter enters Tuscaloosa County Ward 5, Montgomery Fire Department, to vote during a primary election, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Northport, Ala. A voter drops off a vote-by-mail ballot on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, during the presidential primary election in Vancouver, Wash. …

'Thousands of mail ballots not counted': PA fixing issue that disenfranchised 17K voters
1 year, 3 months ago

'Thousands of mail ballots not counted': PA fixing issue that disenfranchised 17K voters

Raw Story  

Pennsylvania played a key role in deciding the last two presidential elections, and appears poised to be similarly decisive in the 2024 race. According to WPSU, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro is now working in conjunction with Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt to fix issues with Pennsylvania's mail-in ballot system that can be confusing for some voters. Currently, commonwealth law …

Why it could take weeks to get final L.A. election results. ‘We aren’t sitting on ballots’
2 years, 4 months ago

Why it could take weeks to get final L.A. election results. ‘We aren’t sitting on ballots’

LA Times  

Ballots are received, sorted and verified at the L.A. County ballot processing facility in the City of Industry, then trucked to another facility in Downey to be counted. Vote-by-mail ballots take longer to process, particularly when a massive number of them arrive all at once on election day, officials and experts said Wednesday. “We aren’t sitting on ballots,” said county …

Midterm voting mostly problem-free in battleground states, voting advocates report
2 years, 4 months ago

Midterm voting mostly problem-free in battleground states, voting advocates report

Raw Story  

As of midday Tuesday, voting across the country has largely gone smoothly without any major issues or incidents of voter intimidation, voting rights advocates said. In Maricopa County, Arizona, one of the nation’s largest voting jurisdictions in a critical battleground state, election workers Tuesday morning reported issues with ballot tabulators at about 20 percent of vote centers. In a morning …

Nearly 46 million votes have been cast in the midterms, but it’s unclear what it means for election day
2 years, 4 months ago

Nearly 46 million votes have been cast in the midterms, but it’s unclear what it means for election day

LA Times  

James Griepsma Jr. studies his choices at a ballot marking device while voting at the office of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022 in Norwalk. The pandemic prompted several states in 2020 to implement universal ballot delivery or change their laws to allow for early voting or voting by mail for the first time, said …

Be patient: This election is probably going to go on a while
2 years, 4 months ago

Be patient: This election is probably going to go on a while

NPR  

Be patient: This election is probably going to go on a while Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Rayford/Getty Images Sean Rayford/Getty Images Election Day is Tuesday, but with early voting, the more accepted use of mail voting and the prospect of razor-thin races, it's really Election Season. Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Rayford/Getty Images Sean Rayford/Getty Images Recent …

Early in-person voting starts in Wisconsin amid lawsuits
2 years, 5 months ago

Early in-person voting starts in Wisconsin amid lawsuits

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — In-person early voting began Tuesday in battleground Wisconsin amid ongoing lawsuits affecting which ballots can be counted or tossed, recently ordered bans on drop boxes, and restrictions on who can return ballots. The opening of the in-person voting period marks the beginning of the final two-week push to Election Day in the swing state where both Republican …

In-person voting starts in Minnesota, 3 other early states
2 years, 6 months ago

In-person voting starts in Minnesota, 3 other early states

Associated Press  

MINNEAPOLIS — In-person voting for the midterm elections opened Friday in Minnesota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming, kicking off a six-week sprint to Election Day in a landscape that has changed much since the pandemic drove a shift to mail balloting in the 2020 presidential contest. “I like to vote early because you never know what might happen on Election …

Mail ballot fight persists in key states, sure to slow count
2 years, 6 months ago

Mail ballot fight persists in key states, sure to slow count

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Former President Donald Trump and his allies seized on the drawn-out vote processing and counting in Pennsylvania during the 2020 election to fuel his false claims that fraud cost him victory in the battleground state — and election officials worry that a replay could be on the horizon in November’s crucial Senate and governor’s races. Efforts since …

Mail ballot fight persists in key states, sure to slow count
2 years, 6 months ago

Mail ballot fight persists in key states, sure to slow count

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Thirty-eight 38 other states — including Republican-controlled ones such as Florida, Georgia and Texas …

Voters in these states could make big changes to how their elections are run
2 years, 6 months ago

Voters in these states could make big changes to how their elections are run

NPR  

Voters in these states could make big changes to how their elections are run Enlarge this image toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images John Moore/Getty Images This fall, Michigan and Nevada feature competitive, top-of-the-ticket elections for offices like governor. Sponsor Message The "Promote the Vote" proposal would make a series of changes to the Michigan Constitution, including expanding access to early …

EXPLAINER: How mailed ballots slow results in Pennsylvania
2 years, 10 months ago

EXPLAINER: How mailed ballots slow results in Pennsylvania

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Counting of mailed ballots in Pennsylvania is drawing renewed scrutiny amid a too-close-to-call U.S. Senate primary between Republicans David McCormick and Dr. Mehmet Oz. He has relentlessly criticized the state’s voting procedures since his loss in Pennsylvania two years ago, when it took several days to tally the results from all mailed ballots. The head of the …

House GOP unveils ambitious proposal to revamp election law
3 years, 9 months ago

House GOP unveils ambitious proposal to revamp election law

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — An ambitious Republican proposal to revamp Pennsylvania election law was unveiled Thursday, a 149-page bill that would change deadlines, adopt new rules for early voting, alter mail-in ballot procedures and mandate IDs for all in-person voters. “Improving ballot access for all voters in a bipartisan way like we did in 2019 should be the standard for any …

Mail-in voting law spurring new tensions over elections
3 years, 9 months ago

Mail-in voting law spurring new tensions over elections

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — County officials reprised their call Tuesday for fixes to Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting law to help them run a smoother election in November, as a fight brewed over whether counties must throw out mailed-in ballots without the voter’s handwritten date on the envelope. The counties’ call for action comes amid a partisan stalemate over how to fix shortcomings …

Murphy to sign bill requiring early in-person voting in NJ
4 years ago

Murphy to sign bill requiring early in-person voting in NJ

Associated Press  

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey voters will get the chance to vote early in person under a new law Democratic Gov. Murphy is set to sign the bill during a remote ceremony featuring Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic Georgia lawmaker whose efforts in her home state have been credited with propelling Democrats to victory there in last year’s presidential and …

GOP Lawmakers Seek Tougher Voting Rules After Record Turnout, Election Losses
4 years, 2 months ago

GOP Lawmakers Seek Tougher Voting Rules After Record Turnout, Election Losses

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING AUSTIN, Texas — Republican lawmakers in statehouses across the country are moving swiftly to attack some of the voting methods that fueled the highest turnout for a presidential election in 50 years. In last year’s presidential election, nearly 70% of all ballots cast nationwide came before Election Day, with an estimated 108 million people voting through the …

EXPLAINER: Why ballot-counting in Nevada is dragging on
4 years, 4 months ago

EXPLAINER: Why ballot-counting in Nevada is dragging on

Associated Press  

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The pace of vote-counting in Nevada is being criticized for taking too long and it’s even become fodder for online jokes. “It’s been a different year for us,” said Deanna Spikula, registrar of voters in Washoe County, the state’s second-largest county that includes Reno. The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office said Friday night that statewide about …

One-by-one: So Why is the US Vote Count Taking So Long?
4 years, 4 months ago

One-by-one: So Why is the US Vote Count Taking So Long?

News 18  

A slow grind of ballot counting has held the United States and the world in suspense since Tuesday’s presidential election. In preparation for the mail-in surge, a number of states stretched out the time after the November 3 election day that mailed ballots could be received. Then the ballots have to be removed from the envelopes, and in many states, …

Pennsylvania could decide this election. Here is where the race stands
4 years, 4 months ago

Pennsylvania could decide this election. Here is where the race stands

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Recommended Election pressure grows in Pennsylvania amid misinformation …

Election officials scramble to count ballots in key states
4 years, 4 months ago

Election officials scramble to count ballots in key states

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Election officials in several key states furiously counted ballots Wednesday …

Trump Claims US Election Win Even as Votes are Being Counted. Bernie Sanders Predicted it Last Month
4 years, 4 months ago

Trump Claims US Election Win Even as Votes are Being Counted. Bernie Sanders Predicted it Last Month

News 18  

Even though the US Presidential Elections 2020 were conducted on November 3, the votes are still being counted. It seems he can as is evident from his speeches at the White House where Trump has been claiming victory even as the counting of mail-in ballots in four states remains underway. The Democratic socialist leader who dropped out of the race …

EXPLAINER: A long night, or more, before president is known
4 years, 4 months ago

EXPLAINER: A long night, or more, before president is known

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Americans won’t know the winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election until well into Wednesday — if not beyond that. In North Carolina, beginning five weeks before the election, county boards insert approved ballots into a voting machine, allowing for a prompt tabulation on Election Day. But other states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all with Republican-led …

These states could decide the US presidential election
4 years, 4 months ago

These states could decide the US presidential election

Live Mint  

The US presidential election will be decided by about a dozen states that could swing to either President Donald Trump, a Republican, or Democratic challenger Joe Biden. WISCONSIN Electoral votes: 10 Polls close: 9 p.m. EST Rating in presidential contest: Leans Democratic Other key races: No governor or U.S. Senate races on the ballot Vote counting: Wisconsin has no-excuse absentee …

Why Vote Counting In Pennsylvania And Michigan Takes So Long
4 years, 4 months ago

Why Vote Counting In Pennsylvania And Michigan Takes So Long

NPR  

Why Vote Counting In Pennsylvania And Michigan Takes So Long Enlarge this image toggle caption Elaine Cromie/Getty Images Elaine Cromie/Getty Images Election Day itself went off far more smoothly than many election officials would have predicted seven months ago, as the pandemic took hold in the middle of primary season. Sponsor Message In most states, election officials could start the …

What to expect on US election night and beyond
4 years, 4 months ago

What to expect on US election night and beyond

Live Mint  

The coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented number of ballots cast early, the lack of consistency about how these votes will be counted, and ongoing legal battles have made the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election one of the hardest to predict. Some of these states do not begin to count early votes until after polling stations close, and some allow …

Election 2020 Today: America votes, legal challenges loom
4 years, 4 months ago

Election 2020 Today: America votes, legal challenges loom

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. TODAY’S TOP STORIES: AMERICA VOTES: Americans are making their choice between President Donald Trump …

Presidency hinges on tight races in battleground states
4 years, 4 months ago

Presidency hinges on tight races in battleground states

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The fate of the United States presidency hung in the balance Wednesday morning, as President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden battled for three familiar battleground states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — that could prove crucial in determining who wins the White House. With neither candidate securing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the …

2020 Election Results, News And Analysis
4 years, 4 months ago

2020 Election Results, News And Analysis

NPR  

Pennsylvania: Where The Race Stands Election officials are cautioning that Pennsylvania — and its highly sought-after 20 electoral votes — may not be ready to deliver complete voting results on Wednesday. “This is a stress test of the ideals upon which this country was founded and the basic rule of one person, one vote – that still carries and it …

Where It Stands: Election Hinges On Key States, Final Results May Take A While
4 years, 4 months ago

Where It Stands: Election Hinges On Key States, Final Results May Take A While

NPR  

Where It Stands: Election Hinges On Key States, Final Results May Take A While Enlarge this image toggle caption Marc Piscotty/Getty Images Marc Piscotty/Getty Images Updated Nov. 4 at 3:20 a.m. During Biden's speech, the president said baselessly that Democrats were "trying to STEAL the Election," a post that Twitter soon labeled as potentially misleading. The president wrongly asserted he …

AP Explains: The election result may be delayed. That's OK.
4 years, 4 months ago

AP Explains: The election result may be delayed. That's OK.

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Without a head start, there's virtually no way to process and count all the …

AP Explains: The election result may be delayed. That’s OK.
4 years, 4 months ago

AP Explains: The election result may be delayed. That’s OK.

Associated Press  

We may not know who won the presidential election on Tuesday night. Without a head start, there’s virtually no way to process and count all the mail votes on Election Day, while also counting all the in-person votes. Results in those two states on election night could give hints about what lies ahead in the critical Rust Belt states that …

With Deluge Of Mail Ballots, Here's When To Expect Election Results In 6 Key States
4 years, 5 months ago

With Deluge Of Mail Ballots, Here's When To Expect Election Results In 6 Key States

NPR  

With Deluge Of Mail Ballots, Here's When To Expect Election Results In 6 Key States Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt York/AP Matt York/AP For months now, election officials have cautioned that the winner of the presidential election may still be unknown when election night is over. However, it may take some counties longer to finish counting mail ballots that …

Mail-In Ballots May Not Be Moving Fast Enough In Key Swing States
4 years, 5 months ago

Mail-In Ballots May Not Be Moving Fast Enough In Key Swing States

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The states that could play the biggest role in tipping the presidential election to Donald Trump or Joe Biden have also experienced some of the starkest delays in delivering ballots by mail, according to newly released data from the U.S. “These are counties where if absentee ballots are mistreated, if, say, there are excessive rejections, the risk …

When Will Mail-In Ballots Be Counted? See States' Processing Timelines
4 years, 5 months ago

When Will Mail-In Ballots Be Counted? See States' Processing Timelines

NPR  

When Will Mail-In Ballots Be Counted? See States' Processing Timelines Enlarge this image toggle caption Ethan Miller/Getty Images Ethan Miller/Getty Images Updated on Wed., Oct. 28 at 11:40 a.m. to reflect the most recent rules for processing and counting ballots, per information from each state elections office gathered by NPR. A record number of voters are expected to cast their …

Pennsylvania polls: Supreme Court allows mail-in ballots to be counted three days after election in swing state
4 years, 5 months ago

Pennsylvania polls: Supreme Court allows mail-in ballots to be counted three days after election in swing state

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

In Swing States, Officials Struggle To Process Ballots Early Due To Strict Local Laws
4 years, 5 months ago

In Swing States, Officials Struggle To Process Ballots Early Due To Strict Local Laws

NPR  

In Swing States, Officials Struggle To Process Ballots Early Due To Strict Local Laws Enlarge this image toggle caption Laurence Kesterson/AP Laurence Kesterson/AP Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Tina Barton knew counting mail ballots would become a problem. Barton is the city clerk of Rochester Hills, Mich., and after a 2018 state constitutional amendment meant that all voters in Michigan …

Mail-in ballot requests pass 2.6M in Pennsylvania
4 years, 5 months ago

Mail-in ballot requests pass 2.6M in Pennsylvania

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — With three weeks to go before the Nov. 3 election, more than 2.6 million registered voters have applied for a mail-in ballot in Pennsylvania, a battleground state hotly contested by President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. In the meantime, partisan lawsuits over Pennsylvania’s poll-watching restrictions, the deadline to receive mail-in ballots and counting mail-in …

Federal judge upholds Minnesota’s extended ballot counting
4 years, 5 months ago

Federal judge upholds Minnesota’s extended ballot counting

Associated Press  

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge has upheld a Minnesota state court agreement that allows the counting of absentee ballots received up to seven days after Election Day. Republicans had asked U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel to block the seven-day extension that said ballots postmarked on or before Election Day must be counted. Before the consent decree, state law required absentee …

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