By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office
Nov. 5, 2024 | 7:00 AM
On election night, we all want to know the results right away, but counting ballots takes time. Here are some reasons why:
The County has over 1.98 million active registered voters.
Every active registered voter is sent a mail ballot.
Mail ballots can be counted if postmarked on or before Election Day and received up to seven days after.
Those not registered but otherwise eligible to vote can conditionally register and vote provisionally up to and on Election Day.
So, what can you expect on election night?
The first set of unofficial election night results comes in shortly after 8 p.m. This will include mail ballots received before Election Day and vote center ballots from early voting between Oct. 26 – Nov. 4.
For the latest results update on election night, you can visit sdvote.com or follow the Registrar’s office on X (formerly Twitter).
After that, election night results will include only the vote center ballots cast on Election Day. There will be no more updates to mail ballots on election night.
The Election Day ballots come in after the vote centers close at 8 p.m. There will be a gap in time for the next set of results due to poll workers packing up supplies and driving in from over 200 vote centers located around the county.
Upon arrival to the Registrar’s office, the vote center ballots will be scanned, and results will be periodically updated until all vote center ballots have been counted.
Since there are fewer vote centers compared to the traditional polling place model, the Registrar’s office will provide less frequent result updates.
The final unofficial election night results may not come in until 1 a.m. or later and will only cover the ballots that could be counted immediately.
The counting of ballots does not end election night.
What’s left to count?
Mail ballots
These are ballots dropped off at vote centers, official ballot drop boxes or picked up from the U.S. Postal Service on Election Day.
Ballots mailed right before or on Nov. 5 have seven days to arrive if postmarked by Election Day.
Provisional ballots
People who missed the Oct. 21 registration deadline may conditionally register and vote provisionally in person up to and on Election Day.
Once their voter registration is processed and the Registrar’s office confirms the voter did not vote elsewhere in the state, the voter registration becomes active, and the provisional ballot is counted.
The Registrar’s office cannot predict how many residents who are not registered, but otherwise eligible, will take advantage of this.
After election night, the next release of unofficial results is scheduled to be posted by 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7 through Saturday, Nov. 9 and again on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Nov. 11 through Nov. 15.
Additional updates are at the discretion of the Registrar of Voters. The Registrar’s office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Election results must be certified by Dec. 5 and the Registrar expects to use the full certification period to make sure every legally cast vote is added to the count in the most expeditious, yet careful manner available, ensuring accurate results. All updates will be posted on sdvote.com with the final certified results posted by Dec. 5.
Learn more about the November Presidential General at sdvote.com, or call (858) 565-5800 or toll free at (800) 696-0136.
Tracy DeFore is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office.
