How long will it take for Tarrant County ballots to be counted on Election Day? Here’s when
Election Day is on Tuesday, which means the long-awaited U.S. President and other important state and local positions will be one step closer to being determined.
It’s Texas state law for Election Day totals to be submitted within 24 hours after polls close. Voters may know the state’s results as early as Wednesday, Nov. 6. .
When will votes be counted in Tarrant County?
According to Tarrant County’s website, the latest time a person can turn in their ballot is 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Early voting results will be released no later than 7:15 p.m.
Tarrant County will release result reports hourly until 1 a.m. (9 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and midnight). This means Tarrant County should have their results by 1 a.m.
By Texas law, all counties must have their results submitted by 7 p.m. on Nov. 6.
When will mail-in votes be counted?
Mail-in votes must be picked up by mail carriers by 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The deadline for the county’s Election Board to receive mail-in ballots is on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. “The carrier envelope must have a postmark showing it was in the mail by 7:00 p.m. on November 5, 2024,” says VoteTexas.
According to the Texas Tribune, “In counties with a population of more than 100,000, election officials are allowed to begin counting received mail-in ballots after polls close on the last day of early voting to get a head start on reporting results. Smaller counties may begin that process on the morning of Election Day.”
Some mail-in ballots are arriving from overseas or under special circumstances. As long as they are sent by Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., they will still be counted. However, the deadline for these varies, meaning that these votes may not be counted until Monday, Nov. 18, the last day to review mail-in ballots.
When will all of America’s votes be counted?
All state votes must be final by Monday, Dec. 9, the day the Electoral College meets (the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December).
Electors, determined based on the majority of the general election, will cast their votes for the presidential nominee. On this day, statewide votes become official and final.
“It is rare for electors to disregard the popular vote (citizen’s majority) by casting their electoral vote for someone other than their party’s candidate,” according to the National Archives, “Electors generally hold a leadership position in their party or were chosen to recognize years of loyal service to the party. Throughout our history as a nation, more than 99 percent of electors have voted as pledged”
The 538 votes are then counted (not determined) on Monday, Jan. 6, by members of the House and Senate. The president of the Senate, or vice president, announces the winning candidates.
This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 1:31 PM.