US election counting times: see what time it starts and ends

How voters choose to vote also affects how quickly the count takes place. In the US, there are three options: voting in person on election day, in person in advance or by mail, allowing it to be sent in advance. When there is a significant volume of postal votes, as happened in 2020, counting tends to take longer.

Disclosure of results

Typically, the president-elect is announced on election night in November, but official confirmation by the Electoral College occurs in December. This process takes place because the Electoral College delegates, who represent each state, meet in their state capitals on the second Monday of December to formalize their votes.

After this meeting, the next step is certification by the US Congress, held in a joint session in early January. During this session, the delegates’ votes are counted and the winner is officially declared. The new president’s inauguration is scheduled for January 20th, beginning his four-year term.

Why does this occur?

A candidate can win the Electoral College even if they have fewer popular votes. Each state has a number of delegates proportional to its population, resulting in certain states having greater influence on the final result.