Resource NCSL's Elections Team Answers Your Questions

When Are Ballots Hand Counted? 

When American democracy began, hand counting was the only method available for tallying votes. Counting each vote could sometimes take days, but there were no alternatives until the invention of lever machines in the late 19th century.

Lever machines kept a mechanical running tally throughout the day and made results available in a matter of minutes when the polls closed. Hand counting ceased being a nationwide norm once lever machines became widespread in the early 20th century. Now, with optical scanners and other tabulation machines, more votes can be counted in less time.

Paper ballots or a paper record of votes cast on machines is required almost everywhere in the country, so even in areas that use machines to facilitate tabulation, a paper record of votes is available to review as part of a recount or post-election audit.

While automated election tabulation is standard nationwide, a few counties and jurisdictions rely on hand counting to tally votes. These are typically jurisdictions with smaller populations. In 2024, less than 0.17% of voters live in areas where ballots are hand counted, according to Verified Voting. Examples of these areas include San Juan County, Colo., with 730 registered voters, and Treasure County, Mont., with 483 registered voters (Verified Voting).

Certain state laws specify a population requirement to allow hand counting ballots. For example, Iowa (Iowa Code 49.26) allows a city with a population of 3,500 or less to choose whether to use automatic tabulating equipment or to have precinct officials tabulate the votes manually. In 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation permitting full hand counts only in specific cases, such as jurisdictions with fewer than 1,000 registered voters. In effect, this law prohibits hand counting as the official process in all other counties.

Some laws leave it up to local jurisdictions to decide how to count their ballots. provide that they may adopt the use of any electronic tabulating system authorized by law. Although South Carolina and Wyoming have the option to hand count ballots, no county currently does so, according to

Similarly, Arkansas passed a bill in 2023 allowing counties to decide whether to hand count their ballots. If counties opt in, ballots are first tabulated using equipment, and then a hand count is conducted. The law makes counties eligible for reimbursements of expenses if hand counts are conducted alongside machine tabulations, and two counties—Searcy County and Independence County—chose to do so in.

How Do Write-in Candidates Get on the Ballot? 

Candidates whose names are printed on the ballot must meet specific deadlines, file certain paperwork, and often go through a party nominating process. 

Yet there is another way to get elected: Become a write-in candidate. Write-in candidates do not have their names printed on ballots and instead seek election by having voters write their name in a blank space provided on the ballot.  

The process looks different for these candidates, but they often still need to take steps and file paperwork with an election official to ensure that votes for them are counted.  

Forty-three states permit write-in voting for most state and federal offices. In 32 of these states and Washington D.C. votes for write-in candidates are counted only if the candidate files a declaration of intent to run as a write-in candidate by a specified deadline. The state deadlines for filing these declarations range from 150 days before an election (Arizona) up until Election Day at 8 p.m. (Washington state). While Virginia requires and specifies a deadline for a declaration for presidential and vice-presidential candidates 10 days before the election, no such declaration is required for any other office, according to the state department of elections. Alaska, New Mexico and South Carolina allow write-in votes for most state and federal offices, but not for president or vice president. 

In 11 states, there is no requirement for write-in candidates to file a declaration of candidacy or intent, but a space is provided on the ballot for voters to cast a write-in vote: Alabama, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Wyoming.  

Some states that permit write-in candidates will not tally and report the votes for each candidate unless they meet a specific threshold. In Washington and Alabama, for instance, write-in votes for individual candidates aren’t tallied unless the number of write-in votes could prove decisive, meaning they exceed or equal the number of votes between the first and second place candidates. In these states, unless the margin is that tight, all write-in votes are grouped together in tallying. 

It is rare, but not unheard of, for write-in candidates to win elections. Among the most prominent examples was in 2010, when Senator Lisa Murkowski won a write-in campaign in the general election for the U.S. Senate, winning by a roughly 10,000 vote margin. At the time in Alaska, votes for write-in candidates had to be spelled exactly correctly, though now minor misspelling is overlooked when determining write-in votes, so long as the voter intent is clear. 

Six states—Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma and South Dakota—do not permit write-in candidates for any state or federal offices. In one state, Mississippi, write-in votes for candidates are only used as a “substitute” in the event of a candidate death, resignation, withdrawal or removal from the race. Ballots for general and primary elections must provide a blank space for each office to be voted for in case write-in votes become permitted under the circumstances outlined.  

What Happens If a Candidate Withdraws from a Race After Being Nominated?

Sometimes a candidate has to withdraw from a race after receiving their party’s nomination. This may be due to a death, illness or by personal choice. Most states outline the set of circumstances and deadlines for a candidate to withdraw. 

The majority of states allow candidates to withdraw after nomination due to a personal choice. Some specify that withdrawal must be due to disqualification by their political party, changes in their residence or death. Wisconsin is unique in that it only allows a candidate to withdraw in the event of death and in California candidates cannot be removed from the ballot, even if they die. If a deceased candidate receives a majority of votes, they are considered elected to the office, and the office is deemed vacant at the start of the term. 

Deadlines for withdrawal range from 85 days to just days before the election. For example, Maryland, Montana, and Pennsylvania have deadlines 85 days before the general election. 

Mississippi’s deadline is 10 days before the election, with the caveat that withdrawal cannot be done after ballots are printed.  

In cases where the deadline has passed and ballots have already been printed, certain states require notices to be posted in in-person polling locations. In states like Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana, any votes cast for a candidate who withdraws after the deadline are considered invalid and not counted. Arkansas does the opposite: Votes for a candidate who withdraws within 75 days of an election are still counted and if the candidate wins the election, a vacancy is declared. 

As with so much, it all depends on the state. Want to know more? Reach out to [email protected] for more details! 

What is Curbside Voting and How Does It Work?

About one-third of states offer curbside voting, an option for certain voters to cast their ballots from their cars without having to enter the polling place.

Some states have specific criteria for who can use curbside voting, most often voters with disabilities or voters over a certain age, as federal law mandates that all elections be accessible to voters with disabilities. For example, Virginia permits voters aged 65 or older, as well as those with disabilities, to vote without leaving their vehicles (Virginia Department of Elections). Montana allows any voter who is "unable to enter a polling location" to request a ballot to be brought to them (Montana Secretary of State). This definition includes those with temporary injuries.

Some states specify in statute that election judges from different major political parties will bring the ballot and voting materials directly to the voter's vehicle. Voters will then mark their ballots in front of the bipartisan team of election workers but not in a way that will violate their right to vote in privacy. The ballot is then placed in a privacy sleeve.

To vote, some states require voters to make arrangements with the election office in advance. For example, in Chicago, voters must request curbside assistance from the local election board by 5 p.m. the day before Election Day (Chicago Board of Election Commissioners). Other states, like California, provide a posted phone number, a doorbell device, or a precinct board member stationed outside the polling place to notify election workers when a curbside voter is ready (Cal. Elec. Code § 14282(d)).

Federal law requires voters to be assisted if they need help marking a ballot. Alaska is typical as they explicitly state that personal assistance is allowed at any stage of the electoral process. Voters may choose anyone to assist them if that person is not a candidate, their employer, an agent of their employer or an agent of their union. Voters may also request assistance from an election worker at any voting location (Alaska Division of Elections).

Curbside voting laws vary significantly from state to state, reflecting different approaches to accessibility and voter needs.

How Are Candidate Names Arranged on a Ballot?

Candidate names are arranged on the ballot in different ways across the country. States set the candidate order alphabetically, by randomized alphabet, by drawing the order by lot or lottery, by political party or by some other unique arrangement.

Twelve states require candidate names to be listed in alphabetical order by surname. In addition to those states, California, New Hampshire, Oregon and Utah require a randomized alphabet order. For example, in California (Cal. Election Code § 13112), each letter of the alphabet is written on a piece of paper, folded, and placed in an opaque capsule. The capsules are then added to a container and shaken to mix them. Capsules are then drawn determining the randomized alphabet for candidates place in ballots for all elections.

Kansas, Montana and Ohio use "ballot rotation." While the candidates' names are arranged alphabetically, they are rotated so that each candidate's name will be at the top of the list for each office on an equal number of ballots. (Yes, there are many more ballot styles with ballot rotation.)

Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., have a lottery/lot method. Alaska (Alaska Stat. § 15.15.030), for example, allows the director to randomly determine the order of the names of the candidates. Arkansas (Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-7-305) holds a public meeting with the county board of election commissioners to determine the order of names, while South Dakota (S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12-16-8) arranges names by lot under the supervision of the election official where the candidates' nominations were filed. Each candidate has the right to be present or represented when the arrangement is being determined.

Twelve states organize names based on political parties. In Maryland (Md. Elec. Law § 9-210(j)(2)), the majority party candidates are placed in the first row or column followed by the candidates of the principal minority parties, followed by candidates of other political parties in descending order based on the statewide registration of the party, and finally candidates who are not nominees of a political party. Michigan (Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.703) places the party with the greatest number of votes for secretary of state in the last election first on the ballot.

Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nebraska and South Carolina follow a different approach. Idaho (Idaho Code § 34-903) and Nebraska (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-813) grant the secretary of state the authority to arrange candidates' names, while South Carolina (S.C. Code Ann. § 7-13-320) gives the State Election Commission this responsibility and Georgia (Ga. Code § 21-2-480) gives it to the superintendent of elections. Illinois (Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/7-12) uses a unique approach by arranging candidates' names in the order their petitions are filed. If candidates file simultaneously, their names are arranged by lot.

What Election Policies Affect the Speed of Results? 

It depends—the standard NCSL answer for just about any policy question. The speed of unofficial results reporting depends on several state and local policies and procedures. Key factors include when absentee ballots must be requested and returned, when ballot processing can start, how ballots are counted and canvass and certification deadlines. Additionally, how states structure election administration at the state and local level can determine responsibilities of state and local officials and their roles in election results reporting. 

Absentee Ballot Request Deadlines 

To have enough time to receive an absentee/mail ballot application, verify the information and mail the ballot to the voter, election officials usually need to receive absentee ballot applications a week or more before the election. Some states have statutory deadlines for applications, and if a voter applies for a mail ballot too close to Election Day, it’s possible there may not be enough turnaround time to receive and return the ballot in the mail. 

Sixteen states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have statutory deadlines for absentee/mail ballot applications that are more than seven days before the election. Eight states set their statutory deadlines for absentee/mail ballot applications at seven days (one week) before the election. Eighteen states have statutory deadlines for absentee/mail ballot applications that are fewer than seven days before the election. The remaining eight states and D.C. conduct elections primarily by mail, so active registered voters do not need to submit a separate application.  

Ballot Return Deadlines 

Absentee/mail ballots are typically returned by mail, drop box or hand delivery, and the most common deadline for absentee/mail ballots to be returned by any method is by the close of polls on Election Day. Requiring absentee ballots to be received by Election Day may allow for more results to be released sooner, as election offices do not need to count ballots received after Election Day. Thirty-three states require absentee/mail ballots returned by mail to be received on or before Election Day. Seventeen states, plus Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C. will accept and count a mailed ballot if it is received after Election Day but postmarked on or before Election Day. This trend seems to be towards “received by,” as evidenced by Kansas, Utah and Virginia moving their dates this year.

When Ballot Processing Starts 

The star of the show is ballot processing. States vary on when election officials can begin processing absentee/mail ballots. “Processing” means different things in different states, but typically the first step is to verify the identity of the voter. In some states, once the voter’s signature is verified, the envelope can be opened and the ballot prepared for tabulation.  

Whether absentee ballots can be processed before Election Day (or even before polls close on Election Day) influences how quickly the voted ballots can be tallied and reported.  

In 43 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, absentee/mail ballot processing can begin prior to the election. Seven states and Washington, D.C., permit election officials to begin processing absentee/mail ballots on Election Day. 

Tabulation Equipment 

The process and equipment used to tabulate ballots may determine the speed of results reporting. In order of speed, common methods to count include batch-fed optical scanners, hand-fed optical scanners, and manually hand counting ballots for smaller jurisdictions. Verified Voting’s Mail Ballot Tabulator map tracks methods for vote tabulation by state and county. 

Canvass and Certification Deadlines 

When the polls close on Election Day, ballot counting begins. Once ballots are counted, local officials prepare the results for their local canvass board to review the vote totals and ensure accuracy and completeness before approving the results. After the canvass is complete, the local jurisdictions and states certify the final results, allowing newly elected officials to be sworn in. States with later certification deadlines may take longer to report official election results. 

Local canvass deadlines range from the day after the election (in Alaska) to 30 days after the election for most elected offices in California. State canvass deadlines ranges from 10 days (Ohio) to 32 days for presidential electors (California). Deadlines for certification at the local level range from 8 a.m. the day following the election (New Hampshire) to 30 days after the election (California and West Virginia). State election certification deadlines ranges from two days after the election (Delaware) to 38 days after the election (California).