5 things to know about what happens after Election Day in Ohio

Elections results are never final on Election Day in Ohio.

The final ballot is cast on Election Day, kicking off a weeks-long process at the state’s 88 county boards of election before results are final and official.

Here are five things to know:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented number of people voting by mail, which will likely lead to a greater than usual number of absentee ballots needing counted after Election Day. Those would include valid late-arriving absentee ballots from Ohio voters in the military, overseas and in the U.S.

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2. Valid absentee ballots that are postmarked by Nov. 2 and arrive at the board office by Nov. 13 will be counted, along with valid provisional ballots cast by voters on Election Day.

Credit: Alexis Larsen

Credit: Alexis Larsen

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3. The counting and validation process is governed by Ohio law, Ohio Secretary of State directives and policies and procedures in the Ohio Election Manual.

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4. Bipartisan teams of board staff handle and process ballots, and the bipartisan board of election makes decisions about counting ballots that have not been properly filled out or are damaged.

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5. The deadline for the board of elections to certify results is Nov. 18 and all recounts and post-election audits are done after that.

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