Election results summarize the number of votes cast in a particular race. They are the formal results of an election based on the counting of all ballots. This includes ballots that were counted on Election Day and those that were deemed eligible for counting during the canvass (in most states this includes verified provisional ballots and mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day).
It takes days and often weeks before the official, certified election results are finalized. This is because there are several steps that must take place to make sure all ballots are properly counted.
A common misconception about election results is that the outcome of an election depends solely on how many votes are cast for a candidate. In reality, there are a lot of other factors that influence the final outcome. For example, voters’ preferences for candidates can change over time and some elections are more competitive than others.
In addition, there are a few states that determine part of their electors based on district voting (e.g. Maine and Nebraska). Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of states follow the principle of one person, one vote for their electoral votes, and the winner of each state’s election is determined by a simple plurality.
This makes it possible for a candidate to win the presidential election without winning every single state’s popular vote. In fact, there have been several instances where this has happened. If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, Congress by law decides the next president.
