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Summary Table 17: How Election Results Are Reported

Updated December 31, 2023
Related Topic: Elections

Most states report absentee/mail ballots at the precinct level so that it’s possible to see voter turnout by precinct regardless of how the ballot was voted (in person or by absentee/mail ballot). Since absentee/mail ballots are accepted through Election Day in many states, it can take until days after Election Day before all ballots are counted.

In many states, especially those that handle large volumes of absentee/mail ballots, counting is done at a central location. The most common way to report absentee/mail ballot results is to add the tabulated votes from absentee ballots to the total tabulated at each precinct and report precinct results with both the absentee/mail and Election Day votes included.

Some states handle this process differently, though. Some send absentee ballots to precinct polling places on Election Day to be counted by the precinct-level scanners/tabulators. Others establish separate “absentee ballot precincts” that combine all mailed ballots from throughout the jurisdiction into one reporting unit, regardless of what precinct the voter is in. That approach loses the precinct-level data that is useful to candidates for campaigning and to election officials to allocate resources.

How Election Results Are Reported By State
State Statute How Results Are Reported
Alabama

Ala. Code § 17-11-10 

 By precinct. Absentee ballots are delivered to precinct polling places where they are counted and otherwise handled as if the voter were present and voting in person.
Alaska

Alaska Stat. § 15.20.201 

 By election district.
Arizona

Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-622 

 By precinct or election district.
Arkansas

Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-416 

 By precinct.
California

Cal. Election Code §15373 

 By precinct. 
Colorado

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-7-601 

 By precinct.
Connecticut

Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 9-147a, 9-150a 

 By voting district.
Delaware

Del. Code Ann. tit. 15, § 5510 

 By district.
District of Columbia

D.C. Mun. Regs. Tit. 3, § 808 

 By precinct.
Florida

Fla. Stat. § § 101.68, 98.0981 

 By precinct.
Georgia

Ga. Code § 21-2-386 

 By precinct.
Hawaii

Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 11-155 

 By district and precinct.
Idaho

Idaho Code § 34-1007 

 By precinct.
Illinois

Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/19-8 

 By precinct.
Indiana

Ind. Code § 3-11.5-7-1 

 By precinct.
Iowa

Iowa Code §§ 53.20, 53.23 

 Each county establishes a special “absentee ballot and special voters precinct.” Results from the special precinct are reported separately. For general elections, results are also reported by the resident precinct of voters. For all other elections, absentee results may be reported as a single precinct.
Kansas

Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 25-1134, 25-3206 

 By precinct.
Kentucky

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 117.275 

 By precinct.
Louisiana

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §18:573 

 Absentee and early voting votes are reported separately from precinct totals.
Maine

Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §§ 759, 760-A 

 By precinct, with military and overseas results counted centrally and reported separately.
Maryland

Md. Election Code Ann. § 11-302 

 By district, with absentee ballots reported separately.
Massachusetts

Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 54, § 33H 

 By precinct.
Michigan

Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 168.765 et seq. 

 By precinct.
Minnesota

Minn. Stat. § 203B.121 

 In state primary and general elections, absentee vote totals are added to the returns for the appropriate precinct. For other elections, vote totals may be added to the precinct or reported as a separate total.
Mississippi

Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-603 

 By precinct.
Missouri

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.507 

 Absentee votes are reported separately, except where such reporting would disclose how any single voter cast his or her vote.
Montana

Mont. Code Ann. § 13-15-404 

 By precinct.
Nebraska

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-1036 

 By precinct.
Nevada

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.269935 

 By precinct. The returns of mail ballots must be reported separately from the regular votes of the precinct, unless reporting the returns separately would violate the secrecy of a voter's ballot.
New Hampshire

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 659:73 

 Absentee ballots are reported separately, by precinct.
New Jersey

  

 Not specified.
New Mexico

N.M. Stat. Ann. § 1-12-70 

 By precinct.
New York

N.Y. Election Law § 9-209 

 By election district.
North Carolina

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163A-1315 

 By precinct, with absentee ballots reported separately.
North Dakota

N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1-07-12.1 

 An absentee ballot precinct is established for counting all absentee ballots in the county.
Ohio

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3509.06 

 By precinct.
Oklahoma

Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 7-136 

 By precinct.
Oregon

Or. Rev. Stat. § 254.485 

 By precinct.
Pennsylvania

Pa. Stat. tit. 25, § 3146.8 

 By election district.
Puerto Rico

Not specified. 
Rhode Island

R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-26 

 By election district.
South Carolina

S.C. Code Ann. § 7-15-420 

 An absentee voting precinct for counting all absentee ballots is established in each county.
South Dakota

S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12-19-37, ARSD 5:02:14:04 

 An absentee ballot precinct is established for counting all absentee ballots in each county, unless a paper ballot precinct has 10 or fewer absentee ballots cast at the time the polls open on Election Day, in which case absentee ballots in that precinct are counted at the polling place. Tally sheets include a space for results by precinct.
Tennessee

Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-304 

 By precinct.
Texas

Tex. Election Code Ann. § 67.017 

 By precinct. The results report includes the number of voters that voted early in-person and absentee in each precinct.
Utah

Utah Code Ann. § 20A-4-104 

 By precinct. Absentee votes are added to the official return of each voting precinct.
Vermont

Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17, § 2588 

 By precinct.
Virgin Islands

18 V.I.C. § 667 

 By precinct.
Virginia

Va. Code § 24.2-712 

 A central absentee voter precinct for counting absentee ballots is established in each county or city.
Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.070 

 Counties must produce cumulative and precinct returns.
West Virginia

W. Va. Code § 3-3-8 

 By precinct. Absentee ballots are delivered to polling places to be counted.
Wisconsin

Wis. Stat. §§ 6.88, 7.52 

 By ward (similar to a precinct elsewhere).
Wyoming

Wyo. Stat. §§ 22-9-118, 22-16-103 

 Absentee ballots are delivered to polling places for counting unless the county adopts an alternate procedure to count them centrally. The number of electors voting in person and by absentee ballot by precinct at the election is reported.

Note: This page should be used for general informational purposes only.

Our organization does not run elections and cannot provide legal advice. If you are a voter looking for assistance, please contact your local election official. You can find your local election official's website and contact information by using this database from the US Vote Foundation.

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