Even though election day is on Tuesday, every state has a different process and set of rules for counting of ballots.
According to CNN, millions of Americans have voted in person or by mail this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and many are set to vote on election day -- November 3 as well.
Here is a look at how ballots would be counted in some of the key battleground states across the US.
For the Sunshine State, mail ballots must arrive by November 3. Pre-election voting in the state began on September 24 and will be counted on November 3. Polls close at 8 pm EST. Most pre-election vote results are expected to be released first while most counting typically finishes on election night.
Just like Florida, mail ballots in the state of Georgia must arrive by election day. During pre-election voting, signature matching begins on the receipt; scanning begins as early as October 19 and the tabulating began on November 3. Polls are expected to close by 7 pm EST. Most votes expected to be counted on election night.
Mail ballots in the state of Texas must arrive by November 4. Large counties in the state "processed beginning" on October 22. The mailed votes started to be counted from October 30. In smaller counties, the process began on October 30; mail votes counted on November 3. In-person early votes are counted on November 3.
The polls would close at 9 p.m EST. Most counties release pre-election votes first. Texas typically finishes most vote counting on election night.
In the case of this battleground state, mail ballots must arrive by November 12. The process of pre-election voting began on September 23 and the votes would be counted on election day. Polls would close at 7.30 pm EST. Most counties release pre-election votes first and the state also finishes its counting on election night. Late arriving ballots may increase the number left to count.
Mail ballots in this state must arrive on November 13. In regard to pre election voting, the processing of ballots began on October 5 and is to be counted on November 3.
According to CNN, the polls in Ohio would close at 7:30 pm EST. Early processing of pre-election ballots could help earlier vote release. Many counties expected to release pre-election votes first, then November 3 results. The state typically finishes counting on election night or next day.
With regard to states that are expected to finish counting after election day, the states -- Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan -- require the arrival of mail ballots by November 3. In the case of Pennsylva, the deadline extends to November 6.
The processing of ballots began on receipt and the tallying began on October 20 in the state of Arizona and the polls are expected to close at 9 pm EST. The pre-election votes results are expected first and the vote release begins after one hour of polls close. CNN reported that the state of Arizona has large amounts of ballots left to count after election night.
Wisconsin polls are expected to close at 9 pm EST and counties in the state vary on the order of releasing pre-election ballots and November 3 results. Some municipalities first release the November 3 votes and Wisconsin is expected to finish counting by November 4.
In the case of Michigan, the final polls would close at 9 p.m. EST and counties in the state vary on the order of releasing pre-election ballots and November 3 results. Michigan expects to finish counting by November 6.
In Pennsylva, polls would close at 8pm EST. The counties are not required to count mail ballots until after election day. "Some counties will not count any mail ballots on election night. The counties vary on the order of releasing pre-election and November 3 results -- some released in waves mixed with election day voting. Pennsylva expects to finish counting by November 6."
( With inputs from ANI )
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