Media outlets will begin projecting winners within hours of the polls closing on November 3, 2026. These projections are just that: projections. They are unofficial. Outlets base them on votes counted up to that point, and, in some cases, voter surveys. Vote counting and other post-election procedures continue for days or weeks depending on the state. The results become official only once states complete the certification process.
There is no federal deadline for certifying results in non-presidential elections, such as the 2026 midterms. That’s up to the states, and they have deadlines and procedures for counting votes, reviewing results, and certifying elections. As a result, some states require certification in less than a week, while others allow several weeks.
Get weekly insights
Subscribe for data-driven insights. No spin, just the facts.
How do certification deadlines vary by state?
In all 50 states, election officials work at both the local and state levels. For local races, officials typically certify results locally. For state and federal races, they certify results in two steps: first locally (often at the county level), and then at the state level.
States choose the type of date to set for each step, from collecting, counting, and certifying. This could be a deadline, a target date, the earliest date certification can begin, or no date at all. Pennsylvania, for example, sets no fixed date for statewide certification. Instead, state law says the secretary of the commonwealth must “promptly” tabulate and certify results.
Dates can also change. In Kansas, the State Board of Canvassers must meet by December 1 of the election year, but may recess from “time to time” until it completes its official review and confirms the vote totals.
In Massachusetts, the governor cannot certify results before 5 p.m. on November 18. A recount would delay certification.
So, when considering election results, keep in mind that certification timelines are not directly comparable nationwide.
Where does this data come from?
Where does this data come from?
USAFacts takes 2026 certification dates from state government websites. If a state has not published its dates, we use the National Conference of State Legislatures.
