Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 4
Michigan, Virginia Expect Most Primary Results by Midnight as Certification Deadlines Stretch to Aug. 24
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 4

Michigan, Virginia Expect Most Primary Results by Midnight as Certification Deadlines Stretch to Aug. 24

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 4

Summary

  • Michigan and Virginia election officials said most unofficial primary results should arrive by late Tuesday or early Wednesday after polls close at 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern, respectively.
  • Michigan’s decentralized county-by-county system could slow reporting in larger jurisdictions such as Wayne County, where absentee ballots may still be arriving at poll closing time.
  • Officials said most Michigan counties may post unofficial totals by midnight, but statewide reporting could take up to 24 hours; four western counties close an hour later on Central time.
  • Virginia registrars will upload results as they come in, with certification set for Aug. 18, while Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers has until Aug. 24 to certify the vote.
  • The timelines come as five states — Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Washington and Kansas — hold primaries on Tuesday.

Insights

How does Michigan's highly decentralized system of over 1,500 clerks impact the speed and security of final election results?
Why might a delay in election results actually indicate a more secure and thorough counting process rather than a flawed one?
Could Virginia's centralized election reporting system serve as a blueprint for reducing ballot-counting delays in other decentralized states?