You voted in the 2024 election. What happens next?
Image: Matt Vasilogambros/Stateline
The 2024 election officially kicked off earlier this month, with a handful of states now offering early in-person voting and accepting mail-in ballots.
But the real work begins after polls close, when election officials in all 50 states start canvassing, aka counting up the votes.
A deeper dive: Most Americans vote in person on Election Day, though 47 out of 50 states allow for early in-person voting or absentee voting through mail-in ballots.
Canvassing begins at the local level on election night, with some jurisdictions using electronic devices to tally votes, and others opting for paper ballots.
- Once canvassing is complete, officials are tasked with carrying out a recount of ballots if necessary, with rules varying by state. Some recounts are automatically triggered in the event of a close result (often 0.5%), while other states allow candidates the option to request a recount.
- Finally, a state election board certifies each local result after all canvassing and recounts have concluded. Many states have experienced delays in this area in recent elections, due to a surge of absentee and mail-in ballots.
Check, then verify
Different safeguards are in place across all 50 states to ensure the accuracy of vote counts, including signature matching, frequent audits, and the existence of paper ballots for hand recounts (if necessary).
States also work to ensure election security through voter roll clean-ups, a routine process through which officials remove voters for various reasons like criminal conviction, death, or change of residence (note: lawmakers involved in some of the recent voter roll overhaul efforts have expressed concern over non-citizens voting, despite cases being exceedingly rare).
Looking ahead… Voting ends on November 5. However, many states’ vote counting and certification procedures are expected to extend beyond Election Day, due to laws surrounding the counting of absentee and mail-in ballots.
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See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators believe that Republicans are bound to reject the results of the 2024 election in the event of former President Trump’s defeat, and will likely blame the loss on illegal immigrants voting – despite no evidence to support that claim.
- Others argue that former President Trump and GOP lawmakers’ rhetoric and litigation efforts in key swing states, such as voter purges and ballot-counting rules, is a sign that the electoral system itself is broken and too easy to manipulate.
- “The big lie of 2024: Illegal immigrant voting.” –Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post
- “Warning: Elections in Mirror Appear Closer Than They Are.” –Jesse Wegman, New York Times
- “'Stop the count," reforms threaten election integrity.” –The Emory Wheel Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that while conservatives have historically denounced early or mail-in voting, some are beginning to urge their fellow conservatives to vote as early as possible to combat election concerns.
- Others agree with the idea that Republicans should embrace early/mail-in voting, saying conservatives who reject the rules as they exist are sabotaging their efforts and need to play the game to have the chance to change it.
- “Republicans risk suppressing their own vote.” –Sean Duffy, Colorado Springs Gazette
- “Trump’s Overdue Embrace of Early and Mail Voting.” –National Review Editorial Board
- “Voter fraud by noncitizens in Texas is GOP political fiction.” –Dallas Morning News Editorial Board
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