There are many processes and procedures in place to assure the public that the outcome of elections can be trusted. Election officials often receive state training and professional instruction in election administration.  Almost every part of the election process requires the participation of two or more trained officials who’ve sworn an oath to uphold all election laws and protect the security of the election. Election observers, sometimes called “poll watchers,” may also be present to monitor or observe the election. 

Voting machines, including ballot scanners are tested and certified to certain accuracy standards. Most states require logic and accuracy tests on voting systems prior to each election. In addition to pre-election testing, most states also require audits after every election. During an audit, election officials review paper ballots to confirm the accuracy of the machine count. Audits ensure the ballots were counted as voters intended and that the results of the election are reliable. More information about audits can be found in the EAC report Election Audits Across the United States.  

Visit eac.gov/vote for quick links to your state or territory’s elections website for information about how ballots are counted in your state. 

Election officials count as many ballots on election night as possible, but election night results are unofficial and never final. Each state has different rules for when mail, provisional, and military and overseas ballots can be counted. For example, some states require all mail ballots to be received by Election Day. Others allow mail ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by a certain date.   

Once all the ballots have been received, the canvass begins. This process usually involves analyzing vote totals to identify and resolve any discrepancies between the number of voters and the number of ballots cast. Most states also conduct audits to further verify the vote totals are accurate.   

Once the canvass (and in many states, audits) has been completed, the election results are certified as final. For more information about election results, canvass and certification, see: https://www.eac.gov/election-officials/election-results-canvass-and-certification  

Some races or contests may be recounted after the certification process because the contest was close or a candidate or interest group requests it. Recounts differ from audits in that every ballot in a contest or a subset of contests in the election is recounted, and the official results of the election may change as a result.   

Preliminary election results are transmitted by local jurisdictions to state election officials after the polls close on Election Day. Unofficial results are then posted on the state’s election website and reported to the media. Those preliminary results may change after Election Day as election officials continue to count all eligible ballots, including provisional ballots, absentee and mail ballots, and ballots cast by military and overseas voters. Once all ballots are counted, reconciled, and certified in what is called a canvass, final results are posted and reported, which may take several days or sometimes weeks. 

Visit eac.gov/vote for quick links to your state or territory’s elections website for information about state election results. 

Election observers, sometimes called “poll watchers,” are members of the public that may observe steps in the election process. Each state has its own laws and procedures on who can observe the election but generally, election observers may be members of organizations such as a political party or nonpartisan group, candidate representatives, international observers, exit polling groups, academics or relevant federal and state agencies.  

The role of a poll watcher is to observe and monitor the election, without violating voter privacy or disrupting the election. The rules that govern poll watchers vary by state. Contact your local elections office for more information about the rights and responsibilities of poll watchers in your community. Find out more about election observation in your state by visiting eac.gov/vote. 

Each state has a chief election official, who has an oversight or advisory role over state and federal elections. However, elections are usually administered at the county level, though in some states cities or townships run elections. No two states administer elections in the same way, and there can be variations within a single state. Elections can be run by a single individual or department, a board or commission of elections, or a combination of two or more entities.  

Election administration in America is highly decentralized. There are more than 10,000 election jurisdictions in the U.S. The size of these jurisdictions varies, with the smallest towns having only a few hundred registered voters and the largest jurisdiction in the country with over 5 million. Local election officials also rely on trained poll workers (often bipartisan) who assist voters during early voting and on Election Day. Through its clearinghouse function, the EAC provides guidance and best practices to assist election officials, but the EAC does not have regulatory oversite of elections. 

Find out more about who runs elections in your state, by visiting eac.gov/vote. 

Poll workers are essential to running elections. Poll workers are responsible for opening the polls on election morning; checking in voters and issuing ballots; assisting voters; implementing election laws and procedures; maintaining the chain of custody of ballots, voting equipment, and supplies; closing the polls; and reconciling the number of voters checked in with the number of ballots cast at their location.  

Typically, poll workers are trained by local election officials and work in teams (often bipartisan). Poll workers swear an oath to uphold election laws and protect the security of the election.    

Contact your local elections office or visit helpamericavote.gov to find information about how to sign up as a poll worker in your state.  

One of the basic tenets of democracy is that each person has only one vote. Election officials take many steps to ensure that voters only cast one ballot in an election, or if a voter casts more than one ballot (i.e., votes a mailed ballot and then attempts to vote in person on Election Day), that only one ballot is counted. To do this, election officials are responsible for maintaining current and accurate voter lists, and many states compare registration and voting records with other states. Election officials keep detailed records of when voters are issued ballots, and whether those ballots are cast. 

If a voter’s eligibility cannot be verified (e.g., the voter was not on the list of eligible voters, the voter's information was incomplete or not accurate, or the voter had already received a ballot in the mail and was allowed to vote), they may be allowed to vote a provisional or fail-safe ballot. Provisional ballots are kept separate from other ballots and will only be processed and counted if the election official has verified the voter is eligible and has not already voted in the election. 

When a voter requests a mail ballot, election officials verify that the request was made by the voter before issuing the ballot. When a ballot is returned to the elections office, officials (often bi-partisan teams) verify the signature or other identifying information on the ballot envelope to make sure it was cast by the voter. If required information is missing or incomplete, or if a signature is required and doesn’t match the one on file, the ballot will not be counted. In some cases, the voter may be notified and given an opportunity to correct the issue. 

Visit eac.gov/vote for quick links to your state or territory’s elections website for information about how ballots are tracked and counted in your state. 

Each state has its own set of laws that govern how elections are run, but there are several federal laws that protect voting rights for eligible U.S. citizens. The 1965 Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination and requires jurisdictions to allow voting assistance in all but a couple of circumstances, and the Help America Vote Act provides that (1) voters must be able to vote privately and independently, (2) they must be given the opportunity to change or correct their ballot before it is cast, and (3) allows voters to vote a provisional or fail-safe ballot.  

Your Rights When Voting 

Federal election laws help protect your voting rights and the election process. Generally, voters have the right to: 

• Vote if they are still in line when the polls close  

• Ask for another ballot if they make a mistake  

• Ask for a provisional ballot if they are not on the voter list at their polling location 

• Ask for language assistance from a poll worker if they need help reading or understanding how to vote 

• Not be intimidated or harassed while voting 

Voting with a Disability 

Federal law also provides protection for voters with disabilities. Specifically, voters with disabilities have the right to:  

• Vote privately and independently  

• Have an accessible polling location with voting machines for voters with disabilities  

Voters may either:  

• Seek assistance from workers at their polling location who have been trained to use the accessible voting machine, or  

• Bring someone to help them vote  

Voters may request information about voting aids, voting assistance, and absentee ballot procedures that are available.  

For more information, visit eac.gov/vote or contact the U.S. Election Assistance Commission by phone at 866-747-1471 or by email at [email protected]. Information about the Americans with Disabilities Act is available at ada.gov. 

Additional Resources 

The best source of information for your state’s voter registration and voting laws is your state or local elections office. Visit eac.gov/vote for quick links to your state or territory’s elections website. 

You can find more information about federal laws on Civil Rights Division’s website justice.gov/crt/voting-section. 

For a list of federal voting rights laws and protections, as well as other voting information, visit usa.gov/voting and vote.gov. 

Military and overseas voters and their families have unique challenges to voting. Among other protections, federal law requires that (1) military and overseas voters can register and receive a ballot electronically, and (2) a ballot is mailed no later than 45 days before federal elections. Many states have additional protections for military and overseas voters for all elections, not just federal elections.  

State law will determine residency requirements for overseas citizens to vote in state and federal elections. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) has resources for service members, their families, and overseas citizens who wish to vote. Voters can use FVAP’s Voting Assistance Guide to find more information about voting in their state, and how to request and return their ballot.