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2026 Elections

When Will We Know the 2026 Election Results?

Polls on November 3, 2026 start closing at 6 p.m. ET in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, and the last close at 1:00 a.m. ET the next morning — but election night is only the first count. Here is what decides how fast each state reports, which states keep counting mail ballots for days, when results become official, and what triggers a recount.

Rules as of October 22, 2026 from NCSL and Ballotpedia

—

days

Election Day

November 3, 2026

When will we know?

First polls close: 6:00 p.m. ET — eastern Indiana and Kentucky
First states fully closed: 7:00 p.m. ET — Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia
Last polls close: 1:00 a.m. ET Wednesday — Alaska
Late mail ballots count: 15 states and D.C., if postmarked by Election Day
Mail scanned only on/after Election Day: 17 states
Official results: States certify between Nov 10 and Dec 18
Possible Senate runoffs: Georgia and Mississippi — December 1, 2026
Last midterm (2022): Senate decided the Saturday after Election Day; House the following Wednesday

Election night, hour by hour

No state may release results before its polls close. After that, states that processed early and mail ballots in advance can post those totals first, then add Election Day votes as precincts report.

7:00 p.m. ET

Georgia · Indiana · Kentucky · New Hampshire · South Carolina · Vermont · Virginia

7:30 p.m. ET

North Carolina · Ohio · West Virginia

8:00 p.m. ET

Alabama · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Illinois · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Mississippi · Missouri · New Jersey · Oklahoma · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · Tennessee

8:30 p.m. ET

Arkansas

9:00 p.m. ET

Arizona · Colorado · Iowa · Kansas · Louisiana · Michigan · Minnesota · Nebraska · New Mexico · New York · South Dakota · Texas · Wisconsin · Wyoming

10:00 p.m. ET

Montana · Nevada · Utah

11:00 p.m. ET

California · Idaho · North Dakota · Oregon · Washington

12:00 a.m. ETWednesday

Hawaii

1:00 a.m. ETWednesday

Alaska

Times are when each state’s last polls close. States split across time zones begin reporting the earlier zone first. Local hours and the full schedule are on what time polls close.

Why some states take days to finish

Election-night totals are fast where mail ballots are processed early and must arrive by Election Day. Three rules slow a count down.

LATE MAIL COUNTS

15 states and D.C. accept ballots arriving after Nov 3

SCAN ON ELECTION DAY

states, before polls close

SCAN AFTER POLLS CLOSE

states

RANKED CHOICE

Alaska and Maine

Ballots that arrive after Election Day. Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia count mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive within a set window — from one day in Texas to as long as three weeks in Washington. Totals there keep growing until the window closes.
When mail ballots can be scanned. 33 states and D.C. may scan processed mail ballots before Election Day (results stay sealed until polls close). 10 — Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin — wait until Election Day, and 7 — Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Mississippi, New Hampshire and West Virginia — until polls close. In Alabama, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin, officials cannot even open and verify mail envelopes before Election Day, so a large mail vote is counted late into the night or beyond.
Ranked-choice tabulation. In Alaska and Maine, if no candidate wins a majority of first choices, the final result waits for the ranked-choice rounds, which are tabulated after the ballots are in.

Close margins add time everywhere: news organizations wait for enough of the count to be sure, and very tight races can go to a recount. By contrast, 21 jurisdictions have none of the three rules above.

Results timing in every state

Last poll closing, mail-ballot rules, the certification date and the rules that lengthen a count, for all 50 states and D.C.

State	Polls close	Mail scanning starts	Late mail ballots	Certification
Alabama	8:00 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 25
AlaskaRanked choice	1:00 a.m. ET	Only after polls close	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within 10 days	Nov 25*
Arizona	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 23
Arkansas	8:30 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Dec 18
California	11:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received no later than seven days after	Dec 11
Colorado	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 30
Connecticut	8:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 25*
Delaware	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date
District of Columbia	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within ten days of the election	Dec 2*
Florida	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 17
Georgia	7:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 20*
Hawaii	12:00 a.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date*
Idaho	11:00 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 24*
Illinois	8:00 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within 14 days	Dec 4*
Indiana	7:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 24
Iowa	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 30*
Kansas	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received by the third day after the election	Dec 1
Kentucky	7:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 23
Louisiana	9:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 17
MaineRanked choice	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 23
Maryland	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within 10 days, by 10 a.m.	Dec 3
Massachusetts	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received by 5 p.m. the third day after the election	Nov 18*
Michigan	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 23*
Minnesota	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 19*
Mississippi	8:00 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within five business days	No fixed date*
Missouri	8:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Dec 8
Montana	10:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 30
Nebraska	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 30
Nevada	10:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received by 5 p.m. the fourth day after the election	Nov 24*
New Hampshire	7:00 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date*
New Jersey	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within 144 hours (six days) of the close of polls	Dec 3
New Mexico	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 24
New York	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within seven days	Dec 9
North Carolina	7:30 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 24*
North Dakota	11:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 20
Ohio	7:30 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Dec 4*
Oklahoma	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 10
Oregon	11:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received within seven days	Dec 10
Pennsylvania	8:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date
Rhode Island	8:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date
South Carolina	7:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 12
South Dakota	9:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 10*
Tennessee	8:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	No fixed date
Texas	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day; domestic ballots must be received by 5 p.m. the day after	Dec 7*
Utah	10:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 23*
Vermont	7:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 10*
Virginia	7:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received before noon the third day after the election (changes to 5 p.m. Jan 1, 2027)	Dec 7
Washington	11:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received no later than the day before certification (21 days after the election). Drop-boxed ballots must arrive by 8 p.m. Election Day.	Dec 3
West Virginia	7:30 p.m. ET	Only after polls close	Postmarked on or before Election Day; must be received before the canvass begins (the fifth day after the election)	Dec 3
Wisconsin	9:00 p.m. ET	Election Day, before polls close	Must arrive by Election Day	Dec 1
Wyoming	9:00 p.m. ET	Before Election Day	Must arrive by Election Day	Nov 10*

Alabama

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 25

Alaska

Polls close 1:00 a.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · late mail counts

Certify Nov 25

Arizona

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 23

Arkansas

Polls close 8:30 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Dec 18

California

Polls close 11:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 11

Colorado

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 30

Connecticut

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 25

Delaware

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

District of Columbia

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 2

Florida

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 17

Georgia

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 20

Hawaii

Polls close 12:00 a.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

Idaho

Polls close 11:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 24

Illinois

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · late mail counts

Certify Dec 4

Indiana

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 24

Iowa

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 30

Kansas

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 1

Kentucky

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 23

Louisiana

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 17

Maine

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 23

Maryland

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 3

Massachusetts

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Nov 18

Michigan

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 23

Minnesota

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 19

Mississippi

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · late mail counts

No fixed date

Missouri

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Dec 8

Montana

Polls close 10:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 30

Nebraska

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 30

Nevada

Polls close 10:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Nov 24

New Hampshire

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

New Jersey

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 3

New Mexico

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 24

New York

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 9

North Carolina

Polls close 7:30 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 24

North Dakota

Polls close 11:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 20

Ohio

Polls close 7:30 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Dec 4

Oklahoma

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 10

Oregon

Polls close 11:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 10

Pennsylvania

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

Rhode Island

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

South Carolina

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 12

South Dakota

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 10

Tennessee

Polls close 8:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

No fixed date

Texas

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 7

Utah

Polls close 10:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 23

Vermont

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 10

Virginia

Polls close 7:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 7

Washington

Polls close 11:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · late mail counts

Certify Dec 3

West Virginia

Polls close 7:30 p.m. ET · mail scanned only after polls close · late mail counts

Certify Dec 3

Wisconsin

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned on Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Dec 1

Wyoming

Polls close 9:00 p.m. ET · mail scanned before Election Day · mail due Election Day

Certify Nov 10

* Ballotpedia qualifies this date (for example, the deadline for the state canvass to begin rather than to finish); see the certification list below. Mail-ballot receipt rules from NCSL Table 11, scanning rules from NCSL Table 16.

Called, projected, official: what the words mean

1
Unofficial returns
Counties post results as they count on election night and the days after. These are real votes but not final: mail, provisional and overseas ballots are still being added.
2
A race is “called”
News organizations such as the Associated Press project a winner when the outstanding vote cannot change the outcome. A call is a news judgment, not a legal result — and it can come weeks before certification.
3
The canvass
Election officials reconcile every ballot, decide provisional ballots, let voters fix signature problems where the law allows, and audit the count.
4
Certification
The state certifies the official results on or before its deadline. In many states, the window to request a recount or contest the result runs from this point.
5
Taking office
Members of the 120th Congress are sworn in on January 3, 2027.

1
Unofficial returns
Counties post results as they count on election night and the days after. These are real votes but not final: mail, provisional and overseas ballots are still being added.
2
A race is “called”
News organizations such as the Associated Press project a winner when the outstanding vote cannot change the outcome. A call is a news judgment, not a legal result — and it can come weeks before certification.
3
The canvass
Election officials reconcile every ballot, decide provisional ballots, let voters fix signature problems where the law allows, and audit the count.
4
Certification
The state certifies the official results on or before its deadline. In many states, the window to request a recount or contest the result runs from this point.
5
Taking office
Members of the 120th Congress are sworn in on January 3, 2027.

For the race-by-race picture as calls come in, see who controls Congress after 2026; for the transition, the countdown to the 120th Congress.

When each state certifies its results

Ballotpedia’s 2026 calendar puts state certification between November 10, 2026 and December 18, 2026. Dates marked with a note are qualified — some are the day the canvass must begin, not end.

Date	State	Note
Nov 10	Oklahoma
Nov 10	South Dakota	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 10	Vermont	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 10	Wyoming	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 12	South Carolina
Nov 17	Florida
Nov 17	Louisiana
Nov 18	Massachusetts	Earliest date to certify.
Nov 19	Minnesota	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 20	Georgia	For federal and statewide contests.
Nov 20	North Dakota
Nov 23	Arizona
Nov 23	Kentucky
Nov 23	Maine
Nov 23	Michigan	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 23	Utah	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 24	Idaho	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 24	Indiana
Nov 24	Nevada	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 24	New Mexico
Nov 24	North Carolina	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 25	Alabama
Nov 25	Alaska	Target date to certify.
Nov 25	Connecticut	Date for U.S. Senate and House races.
Nov 30	Colorado
Nov 30	Iowa	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Nov 30	Montana
Nov 30	Nebraska
Dec 1	Kansas
Dec 1	Wisconsin
Dec 2	District of Columbia	Tentative.
Dec 3	Maryland
Dec 3	New Jersey
Dec 3	Washington
Dec 3	West Virginia
Dec 4	Illinois	Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.
Dec 4	Ohio	Deadline for county boards to finish the canvass.
Dec 7	Texas	State canvass for state and county offices; certification follows.
Dec 7	Virginia
Dec 8	Missouri
Dec 9	New York
Dec 10	Oregon
Dec 11	California
Dec 18	Arkansas

Nov 10 · Oklahoma

Nov 10 · South Dakota

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 10 · Vermont

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 10 · Wyoming

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 12 · South Carolina

Nov 17 · Florida

Nov 17 · Louisiana

Nov 18 · Massachusetts

Earliest date to certify.

Nov 19 · Minnesota

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 20 · Georgia

For federal and statewide contests.

Nov 20 · North Dakota

Nov 23 · Arizona

Nov 23 · Kentucky

Nov 23 · Maine

Nov 23 · Michigan

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 23 · Utah

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 24 · Idaho

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 24 · Indiana

Nov 24 · Nevada

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 24 · New Mexico

Nov 24 · North Carolina

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 25 · Alabama

Nov 25 · Alaska

Target date to certify.

Nov 25 · Connecticut

Date for U.S. Senate and House races.

Nov 30 · Colorado

Nov 30 · Iowa

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Nov 30 · Montana

Nov 30 · Nebraska

Dec 1 · Kansas

Dec 1 · Wisconsin

Dec 2 · District of Columbia

Tentative.

Dec 3 · Maryland

Dec 3 · New Jersey

Dec 3 · Washington

Dec 3 · West Virginia

Dec 4 · Illinois

Deadline for the state canvass to begin; certification follows.

Dec 4 · Ohio

Deadline for county boards to finish the canvass.

Dec 7 · Texas

State canvass for state and county offices; certification follows.

Dec 7 · Virginia

Dec 8 · Missouri

Dec 9 · New York

Dec 10 · Oregon

Dec 11 · California

Dec 18 · Arkansas

No fixed date: Delaware; Hawaii (Ballotpedia lists only a Nov 23 deadline for election-contest complaints); Mississippi (Ballotpedia lists Dec 31 only for runoff results); New Hampshire (Certified once the recount and appeal window closes; the state aims for the Friday after the election); Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Tennessee.

Source: Ballotpedia, Election results certification dates, 2026.

What triggers a recount

23 jurisdictions recount automatically when a race falls under a set margin, 7 only on a tie, and 21 never automatically. In all but 6, a candidate can also ask for one.

State	Automatic recount	Requested recount allowed
Alabama	Margin of 0.5% or less	Any margin
Alaska	Tie vote only	Any margin
Arizona	Margin of 0.5% or less	Not allowed
Arkansas	None	Any margin
California	None	Any margin
Colorado	Margin of 0.5% or less	Any margin
Connecticut	Under 0.5% (but no more than 2,000 votes) or fewer than 20 votes	Not allowed
Delaware	Under 1,000 votes or 0.5% — state legislative and county offices	Statewide offices: under 1,000 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less
District of Columbia	Under 1% of votes cast for the office	Any margin
Florida	Margin of 0.5% or less	Not allowed
Georgia	0.5% or less — first two statewide executive races on the ballot only	Margin of 0.5% or less
Hawaii	100 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less	Not allowed
Idaho	None	Any margin
Illinois	None	Requester has at least 95% of the winner’s vote
Indiana	None	Any margin
Iowa	None	0.15% in federal and statewide races
Kansas	None	Any margin
Kentucky	Under 0.5% — includes U.S. House and Senate races	Any margin
Louisiana	None	Only if outstanding absentee and early ballots could change the outcome
Maine	Tie vote only	Any margin (ranked-choice races: top three finishers in the second-to-last round)
Maryland	None	Under 5% of the votes for the two candidates
Massachusetts	None	0.5% or less in statewide and district races
Michigan	0.1% or less in statewide races (fixed vote counts for state legislative races)	Only if a recount could change the result
Minnesota	Constitutional amendments within 0.25%, or when a post-election audit finds errors	Any margin
Mississippi	None	Not allowed
Missouri	None	0.5% for offices filed with the secretary of state
Montana	Tie vote only	Under 0.5% in candidate races
Nebraska	1% or less (2% where 500 or fewer votes are cast)	Any margin
Nevada	None	Any margin
New Hampshire	None	Under 20% in general elections
New Jersey	None	Any margin
New Mexico	Under 0.25% for federal and statewide offices	Any margin
New York	20 votes or fewer, or 0.5% or less (or under 5,000 votes when a million or more are cast)	Any margin
North Carolina	Not margin-based — only when a requested recount’s sample turns up substantial error	Statewide: 10,000 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less; other races 1%
North Dakota	0.5% or less in general elections	Under 2% in candidate races
Ohio	0.25% or less statewide; 0.5% or less in county, municipal and district races	Any margin
Oklahoma	None	Any margin for candidate races
Oregon	0.2% or less	Any margin
Pennsylvania	0.5% or less for statewide offices	Any margin
Rhode Island	None	Margins set by office and election type
South Carolina	1% or less	Not allowed
South Dakota	Tie vote only	0.25% or less statewide; 2% for legislative and county races
Tennessee	None	Only as part of an election contest
Texas	Tie vote only	Under 10% of the winner’s vote
Utah	Tie vote only	0.25% or less (when over 400 votes are cast)
Vermont	Tie vote only	2% or less for federal and statewide races
Virginia	None	1% or less
Washington	Under 2,000 votes and under 0.5%	Any margin
West Virginia	None	Any margin
Wisconsin	None	1% or less (40 votes when 4,000 or fewer are cast)
Wyoming	1% or less	Any margin

Alabama

Automatic: Margin of 0.5% or less · Requested: Any margin

Alaska

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: Any margin

Arizona

Automatic: Margin of 0.5% or less · Requested: Not allowed

Arkansas

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

California

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

Colorado

Automatic: Margin of 0.5% or less · Requested: Any margin

Connecticut

Automatic: Under 0.5% (but no more than 2,000 votes) or fewer than 20 votes · Requested: Not allowed

Delaware

Automatic: Under 1,000 votes or 0.5% — state legislative and county offices · Requested: Statewide offices: under 1,000 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less

District of Columbia

Automatic: Under 1% of votes cast for the office · Requested: Any margin

Florida

Automatic: Margin of 0.5% or less · Requested: Not allowed

Georgia

Automatic: 0.5% or less — first two statewide executive races on the ballot only · Requested: Margin of 0.5% or less

Hawaii

Automatic: 100 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less · Requested: Not allowed

Idaho

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

Illinois

Automatic: None · Requested: Requester has at least 95% of the winner’s vote

Indiana

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

Iowa

Automatic: None · Requested: 0.15% in federal and statewide races

Kansas

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

Kentucky

Automatic: Under 0.5% — includes U.S. House and Senate races · Requested: Any margin

Louisiana

Automatic: None · Requested: Only if outstanding absentee and early ballots could change the outcome

Maine

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: Any margin (ranked-choice races: top three finishers in the second-to-last round)

Maryland

Automatic: None · Requested: Under 5% of the votes for the two candidates

Massachusetts

Automatic: None · Requested: 0.5% or less in statewide and district races

Michigan

Automatic: 0.1% or less in statewide races (fixed vote counts for state legislative races) · Requested: Only if a recount could change the result

Minnesota

Automatic: Constitutional amendments within 0.25%, or when a post-election audit finds errors · Requested: Any margin

Mississippi

Automatic: None · Requested: Not allowed

Missouri

Automatic: None · Requested: 0.5% for offices filed with the secretary of state

Montana

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: Under 0.5% in candidate races

Nebraska

Automatic: 1% or less (2% where 500 or fewer votes are cast) · Requested: Any margin

Nevada

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

New Hampshire

Automatic: None · Requested: Under 20% in general elections

New Jersey

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

New Mexico

Automatic: Under 0.25% for federal and statewide offices · Requested: Any margin

New York

Automatic: 20 votes or fewer, or 0.5% or less (or under 5,000 votes when a million or more are cast) · Requested: Any margin

North Carolina

Automatic: Not margin-based — only when a requested recount’s sample turns up substantial error · Requested: Statewide: 10,000 votes or 0.5%, whichever is less; other races 1%

North Dakota

Automatic: 0.5% or less in general elections · Requested: Under 2% in candidate races

Ohio

Automatic: 0.25% or less statewide; 0.5% or less in county, municipal and district races · Requested: Any margin

Oklahoma

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin for candidate races

Oregon

Automatic: 0.2% or less · Requested: Any margin

Pennsylvania

Automatic: 0.5% or less for statewide offices · Requested: Any margin

Rhode Island

Automatic: None · Requested: Margins set by office and election type

South Carolina

Automatic: 1% or less · Requested: Not allowed

South Dakota

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: 0.25% or less statewide; 2% for legislative and county races

Tennessee

Automatic: None · Requested: Only as part of an election contest

Texas

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: Under 10% of the winner’s vote

Utah

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: 0.25% or less (when over 400 votes are cast)

Vermont

Automatic: Tie vote only · Requested: 2% or less for federal and statewide races

Virginia

Automatic: None · Requested: 1% or less

Washington

Automatic: Under 2,000 votes and under 0.5% · Requested: Any margin

West Virginia

Automatic: None · Requested: Any margin

Wisconsin

Automatic: None · Requested: 1% or less (40 votes when 4,000 or fewer are cast)

Wyoming

Automatic: 1% or less · Requested: Any margin

Condensed from Ballotpedia’s general-election recount tables. Thresholds that apply only to some offices say so. Who pays for a requested recount — usually the requester, refunded if the result changes — varies by state.

Runoffs and ranked-choice voting

Senate runoffs. Georgia and Mississippi require a majority to win a U.S. Senate seat. If no candidate reaches 50% on November 3, the top two finishers meet again on December 1, 2026 — so a close race there could leave a Senate seat undecided for four weeks. Details on Senate runoff rules.

Ranked-choice voting. Alaska and Maine elect their members of Congress by ranked-choice voting. When no candidate wins a majority of first choices, the last-place candidate is eliminated and those ballots move to their next choice, round by round. Those rounds are run once the ballots are in — and Alaska accepts mail ballots for 10 days after the election. (An Alaska initiative on this year’s ballot would replace the system for future elections; it does not change how the 2026 count works.)

Frequently Asked Questions

When will we know who won the 2026 midterms?

Polls close between 6 p.m. ET (parts of Indiana and Kentucky) and 1:00 a.m. ET Wednesday, and most votes are reported overnight, but control of Congress is usually not settled on election night. In 2022 the Senate was not decided until the Saturday after Election Day and the House until the following Wednesday. Close races in states that keep counting mail ballots for days — and any Senate runoff on December 1, 2026 — can take longer.

When are election results official?

Only after each state certifies them. Election-night numbers are unofficial. States finish their canvass and certify between November 10, 2026 and December 18, 2026, according to Ballotpedia's 2026 calendar, and several set no fixed date.

Why do some states take longer to count?

Mainly mail ballots. 15 states and D.C. count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day if they were postmarked in time, and 17 states cannot start scanning mail ballots until Election Day or after the polls close. Ranked-choice tabulation in Alaska and Maine and very close margins also add time.

Which states count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day?

Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia accept mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive within a set window afterward. Each state's deadline is in the table on this page.

What triggers an automatic recount?

It depends on the state. 23 jurisdictions recount automatically when the margin falls under a set threshold (often 0.5%), 7 only on a tie, and 21 never automatically. Most also let a losing candidate request a recount, sometimes only within a margin and usually at their own cost unless the result changes.

Is there a runoff in the 2026 Senate elections?

Possibly. Georgia and Mississippi require a majority to win a Senate seat; if no candidate gets 50% on November 3, the top two meet again on December 1, 2026.

When do the winners take office?

The 120th Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2027. Until then the current members serve out their terms, including in the post-election lame-duck session.

Related Resources

What Time Do Polls Close?

Every state’s closing time on November 3, converted to Eastern — the order results actually arrive in.

Who Controls Congress After 2026?

Live balance of power — the Senate map, what each party needs, and results as races are called.

How Senate Runoffs Work

Which states require a majority to win, the December 1 runoff date, and how runoffs have decided Senate control.

When Does the New Congress Start?

Live countdown to the 120th Congress convening on January 3, 2027, and what happens that day.