US Presidential Elections: How will votes be counted for 2024 polls

US Election Day on November 5 may mark the end of voting, but it’s only the beginning of an extensive process to count and verify every single ballot. Across the US., thousands of local election officials and bipartisan teams ensure the integrity of vote counting. This rigorous process is key to making US elections secure, accurate, and fair.

How America votes
Voters can exercise their rights through various methods beyond voting at polling stations on the main election day on November 5. Here are the different ways Americans vote which are ultimately verified and counted:

1. Election day ballots: These are votes cast by people who show up to a polling place on the actual day of the election. Voters go in person to fill out a ballot and submit it directly.

2. Early votes: These are ballots cast by people who vote in person before Election Day. Many states offer early voting to give voters more time and flexibility to cast their votes.

3. Mail-in ballots: These are ballots sent and received by mail. Voters fill them out at home and send them back by mail or drop them off at designated locations. This option is helpful for those who may not be able to vote in person.

4. Challenged and provisional ballots: Sometimes, a voter’s eligibility is questioned on Election Day (e.g., name not on the voter list, or ID not provided as required). In these cases, they fill out a provisional ballot. The election officials then check their eligibility later to decide if the vote will count.

5. Overseas and military ballots: These are ballots for US citizens who are living abroad or serving in the military. They can vote by mail or online in some cases, ensuring that their votes count even if they’re far from home.

The 'canvas' process
The vote-counting process starts with canvassing. This process involves officials verifying and processing each ballot before it’s counted.

Each ballot is processed and any discrepancies are documented and investigated. For mail-in ballots, officials verify voter registration, check for duplicate votes, and confirm that each envelope is undamaged and contains the correct information. Signatures on these envelopes are compared with those on file to prevent fraud. Ballots with questionable details or signatures are set aside as “challenged ballots” and carefully reviewed.

Canvassing also includes reconciliation of all ballots, tracking every step from collection to final tabulation. Any rejected ballots are reviewed by election supervisors and, in some cases, made available to the Canvas Board for further inspection.

Who counts the votes?
In communities across the nation, there are between 7,000 and 10,000 local election officials — either appointed or elected, depending on the state. They work with both partisan observers and bipartisan teams to make sure that votes are counted fairly and accurately.

Observers from both major parties i.e. the Republicans and the Democrats are allowed to monitor vote counting, following state-specific rules that ensure every party has the same access.

The counting process
Once all votes are verified, ballots are fed into scanners or counting machines. In some cases, officials may manually count ballots or double-check machine tallies. The tabulated results are then shared with parties, state officials, and eventually the public.

In many states, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are accepted after Election Day, especially for military and overseas voters.

While preliminary results are often announced on Election Night, they remain unofficial until every ballot is counted and verified. For close races, final tallies may take several days to complete. This was evident in 2020, when California’s vote count projected a winner for President-elect Biden even with only 89% of precincts reporting. Swing states with tight margins, like Georgia , often require more time to tally every vote accurately.

Electoral college votes
In the US Electoral College system, citizens cast their ballots for presidential candidates, but they are actually voting for a slate of electors appointed to represent their state. These electors, totaling 538, comprise 435 members representing each congressional district, 100 Senators (two from each state), and three electors representing Washington DC To secure the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of at least 270 electoral votes.

Each state is allocated a certain number of electoral votes based on its population size and congressional representation. California, the most populous state, has the highest allocation with 54 electoral votes, while states like Texas and Florida follow with 40 and 30 votes, respectively. On the other end, smaller states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, and Vermont have the minimum of three electoral votes each. After the general election, each state’s electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who won the popular vote in that state. These electors then meet in December to officially cast their ballots for president and vice president, finalising the election results.

Certifying the results
The final step in the process is certification. Canvassing boards verify all tallies, reporting details on each ballot type (early, in-person, or mail-in) and noting any issues encountered. Once certified, results are officially documented and announced.

By December 11, each state must certify its election results, confirming vote counts and appointing electors based on the popular vote outcome. States then submit their electoral certificates by December 25 to the President of the Senate, who is also the Vice President, currently Kamala Harris . These certificates record each state’s official electoral votes.

Then, on January 6, Congress convenes to count and confirm these electoral votes in a joint session, finalising the election results.

Finally, on January 20, the new president is sworn-in, marking the official start of the new administration.
Ensuring election security

Election security is paramount, and officials go to great lengths to make sure each vote is counted and any issues resolved. Irregularities, though rare, are investigated, and fraudulent votes are voided. Strict checks and documentation help prevent voter fraud, and bipartisan teams are present every step of the way to ensure transparency and fairness.

Challenges in result declaration
Several factors could impact the timing of election results. Domestic political actors might attempt to impede result declarations in key battleground states.

A precedent exists from January 2020, when numerous Republican legislators contested outcomes in Pennsylvania and Arizona – both states where Biden emerged victorious.

Additionally, individuals in seven swing states falsely presented themselves as electoral college members, attempting to declare Trump victorious. They submitted their votes to Congress alongside legitimate electors, with certain Congress members suggesting these alternative electoral votes raised questions about official state outcomes.

In 2023, Trump campaign solicitor Kenneth Chesebro admitted guilt in Georgia regarding his involvement in election interference.

Scholars at the Brookings Institution - Norman Eisen, Samara Angel and Clare Boone - have analysed potential repetitions of such scenarios in 2024. They highlight possible tactics to create confusion by refusing election certification at county levels.

In Georgia, three election sceptics – Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston and Janelle King – currently control the state election board. They've established new protocols allowing certification suspensions during investigations of alleged irregularities.