Voters around the world are going to the polls in a massive number of elections. They will be deciding who will govern them, who controls their state legislatures and who represents their interests in Congress, and how the Electoral College works. They are also voting for local officials and ballot measures. It is important that voters have confidence in the accuracy of election results.
During elections, voters and the media look to state and local election officials for trusted information about when results will be finalized and how vote counting is proceeding. In many states, election offices report unofficial results soon after polls close. Data aggregators such as The Associated Press, Decision Desk HQ, Edison Research/The National Election Pool, and others collect this information to call races on a national basis. They work closely with election officials to make sure they have access to the data they need in a timely manner.
The final, official election results will not be known until all the ballots have been counted and verified. This is a process known as a “canvass” and takes days or even weeks to complete in every state. This process ensures that all valid votes have been counted and that there are no clerical errors in the results.
It is crucial that election officials and the media continue to communicate with the public about these issues as they happen. Long waits for certified results create openings for inaccurate information to take hold and discourage voter trust in the electoral process and its officials.