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How will my vote be counted? A look at the new 2024 rules

Posted on by L. Dreeye
How will my vote be counted? A look at the new 2024 rules

Because election laws have changed across the country since the 2020 election, many voters will face new rules when it comes time to count their ballots.

The effects vary widely: some rules can make your vote more likely to be counted, others can make your vote less likely to be counted, and some simply make it more likely that you’ll know your state’s election results before you go to bed . November 5th.

“For many Americans, voting in this year’s election will be the most accessible voting experience yet, but for others it will be much more difficult than in 2020 or even 2016,” said Megan Bellamy, vice president of law and policy. for the non-profit advocacy group Voting Rights Lab.

“It will be very important for them to understand how their voting experience is different and what is expected of them, especially in states that have restrictions,” Bellamy said. “Just don’t rely on previous experience to necessarily be correct.”

Here’s a list of states that changed the way they count votes after the 2020 presidential election. The list is compiled from interviews with nonpartisan experts, information from state election officials and copies of state laws.

Get your absentee ballot early in these states

At least five states have pushed back the deadline for returning absentee ballots to local election officials. This means you may have to return your ballot early or postmark it early. In some cases, if your mail ballot is delayed, it may not be counted.

Arkansas Voters must return their absentee ballots to the county clerk’s office no later than the Friday before Election Day, which is November 1.

Iowa requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and received by the close of polls, which is 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. You cannot hand deliver your absentee ballot to a polling place on Election Day.

Ohio requires absentee ballots to be postmarked the day before Election Day, in this case Monday, November 4. If you meet the postmark deadline, your absentee ballot will only be counted if the Board of Elections receives your ballot by the fourth day after the election. , that is, Saturday, November 9th. Absentee ballots returned in person must be received by 7:30 p.m. on November 5th.

Nevada requires your absentee ballot to be postmarked by Election Day and your vote will be counted if it arrives within four days or by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 9. If the Board of Elections is unable to discern the postmark on the envelope, ballots will be counted if they are received within three days of Election Day or by 5:00 pm on Friday, November 8th.

North Carolina Voters need their ballots to reach the election office before polls close on Election Day or at 7:30 p.m. on November 5th. The state will not accept absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive later.

These states have made absentee returns more flexible

At least seven states and the District of Columbia have extended deadlines for counting absentee ballots. This gives you more flexibility when returning your ballot, and in some cases means that if your mailed ballot is delayed in the mail, it will still be counted.

Alabama requires absentee ballots to be received by noon on Election Day. Hand-delivered ballots must be received by close of business the day before the election, which is Monday, November 4th.

California requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and will count them if they are received within seven days.

Indiana requires absentee ballots to be received by 6:00 p.m. on Election Day.

New York requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and will count them if they are received within seven days of the election, which is Nov. 12.

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What you need to know about early voting

Election Day is Nov. 5, but some voters could cast their ballots as early as September.

Oregon requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and will count them if they are received within seven days of the election.

Washington, DC requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and will count ballots received within 10 days of the election.

You’ll likely hear results sooner in these states.

At least 10 states now allow election officials to begin processing or counting votes earlier than they did in 2020. This reduces the amount of administrative work done after polls close on Election Day and means the public is more likely to receive partial information. , unofficial calculations of the results earlier. This does not mean the vote count will be made public before the polls close.

Delaware allows election workers to begin checking who has submitted absentee ballots and removing ballots from envelopes no later than 30 days before an election. They are allowed to place the ballots into the scanners after processing is complete. Previously, the state did not allow ballots to be processed until the Friday before Election Day and did not allow ballots to be placed in scanners early.

Hawaii allows absentee ballots to be counted up to 18 days before Election Day, but prohibits election officials from releasing results until polls close. Previously, officials could only do this 10 days before Election Day.

Louisiana allows vote counting to begin on Election Day. The state had not previously said when vote counting might begin.

Maryland allows absentee ballots to begin counting when polls open on Election Day and says totals cannot be released until polls close. During the 2020 election, officials were unable to count absentee ballots until the Wednesday after the election.

Michigan gives election officials in major cities an opportunity eight days before Nov. 5 to open absentee ballot envelopes and perform a basic check of ballots. In 2020, such processing began on Election Day.

Nevada allows votes to be counted 15 days before Election Day, but results cannot be released until polls close. In 2020, the state did not begin counting votes until Election Day.

New Jersey allows absentee ballots to be counted up to five days before an election, but results cannot be released until polls close. In 2020, the state did not begin counting votes until Election Day.

New York allows absentee ballots to begin counting one hour before polls close. In 2020, the state began counting absentee ballots only after the election.

South Carolina allows absentee ballots to begin counting at 7 a.m. on Election Day. In 2020, counting could only begin at 9am.

Virginia requires election officials to begin the process of checking absentee ballot envelopes, opening envelopes, and placing ballots into scanning machines at least seven days before Election Day. In 2020, election workers had more flexibility to start the process later.