2024 Election Roadmap

A guide to every stage of the 2024 election

A person holds an "I Voted" sticker, an American flag, and a ballot envelope, symbolizing participation in an election.

For many Americans, the 2020 election was an introduction to the complexities of our country’s national election system. 

The 2024 Election Roadmap gives a step-by-step overview of every stage of the election process, clarifying potentially confusing moments and demonstrating how our country will navigate this election. Scroll down or use the buttons in the menu to master every detail of how this election will work, from today through inauguration.

Hire & Train Staff

Elections offices recruit paid poll workers and temporary staff from both parties. Some states require a balanced number from each party.

Further reading:
EAC's Help America Vote Initiative: Resources for Recruiting and Training Poll Workers
Power the Polls: Sign Up to Become a Poll Worker

Finalize Voter Rolls

Election officials maintain voter rolls until 90 days before an election, though they can still remove voters who pass away or are convicted of felonies.

Further reading:
NCSL: Voter Registration List Maintenance

Ballot Design & Printing

States have specific ballot design requirements. Party representatives and candidates often review designs before finalization.

Further reading:
EAC: Designing Polling Place Materials

Test Voting Machines

Election systems are tested with sample votes before each election. In most states, tests are public, and equipment is sealed to prevent tampering and is secured through a strict chain of custody.

Further reading:
Elections Group: Logic and Accuracy Testing for Voting Systems
NCSL: Voting System Standards, Testing, and Certification
EAC: Election Technology

Secure Voting Locations

Polling places include publicly accessible buildings such as schools, offices, and churches. Some states prohibit private residences as polling locations.

Further reading:
NCSL: Polling Place Security

Vote by Mail

Some form of voting by mail is offered in every state with their availability ahead of the election varying from 50 to 18 days before, and differing regulations and deadlines for returning ballots.

Further reading:
NCSL: Voting Outside the Polling Place

Votes Cast

Most states offer in-person early voting and mail ballots. The average early voting period is 20 days, with an average start date of 27 days before the election.

Further reading:
NCSL: Early In-Person Voting

Secure Ballots

States have strict ballot security protocols and varied policies for handling absentee ballots before election day.

Further reading:
EAC: Chain of Custody Best Practices

Voting Machine Set Up

Many states require a chain of custody and verification of tamper-evident seals, and require bipartisan teams to conduct the process and allow the public to verify that no votes have been counted yet.

Further reading:
Pennsylvania

Quality & Assist Voters

Poll workers greet voters, verify identities, issue ballots, and assist voters with disabilities upon request.

Further reading:
Nevada

Votes Cast

Ballots can be paper, marked by devices, or electronic. 95% of voters use methods with a paper audit trail, aiding result audits.

Further reading:
Verified Voting: Poll Place Equipment Map

Independent Observation

All states allow observers for ballot processes. Some are open to the public/media, while others are only to appointed poll watchers or challengers.

Further reading:
NCSL: Policies for Election Observers

Canvass & Tabulation

States have detailed vote counting and reporting processes. Counting may start at polling places, with estimates sent to county and state officials on election night and confirmed in the following days. Strict custody and security measures are used for ballot transfers. It is extremely unlikely that counting will be completed on Election Night.

Further reading:
NCSL: Canvass Deadlines
Bolts Magazine: Who Counts Our Elections?

Audits

Most states require election audits by law, varying in approach and scope. Audits confirm results and detect errors, via hand counts in some states.

Further reading:
NCSL: Post-Election Audits
NCSL: Risk-Limiting Audits
Verified Voting: Audit Law Map

Recount (if necessary)

A recount is possible in most states, triggered by a close margin or requested by a losing candidate. Requestors often pay unless the outcome changes.

Further reading:
NCSL: Election Recounts
Election Task Force: State and Federal Election Contests

County Certification

County certification reports declare winners for local races, with any issues handled during canvass, audit, or recount stages, not certification.

Further reading:
NCSL: Election Certification Deadlines
Protect Democracy: County Certification
Campaign Legal Center: What is Election Certification?
All Voting is Local: State Certification Guidelines

State Certification

State certification reports results for statewide or multi-county races once aggregated from county reports. It's done by the chief election official or state board, with election issues handled separately.

Further reading:
NCSL: Election Certification Deadlines
State Court Report: How State and Local Election Certification Works
Campaign Legal Center: What is Election Certification?
All Voting is Local: State Certification Guidelines

Transmit Certificates

Once state results are certified, executives issue certificates of election for House and Senate elections. Six certificates are issued for Presidential elections, and one copy is sent to the Archivist by Dec 11, including one security feature to verify its authenticity.

Further reading:
National Archives: Roles of Federal and State Officials in the Electoral College Process
NCSL: The Electoral College

State Electors Cast Votes for President & VP

On the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December, electors vote for President and VP, prepare Certificates of Vote and Certificates of Ascertainment, and send them to officials. Many are bound by the state popular vote.

Further reading:
Election Task Force: The Electoral Count Reform Act and the Process of Electing a President
National Archives: Roles of Federal and State Officials in the Electoral College Process
National Archives: Electoral College Electors and Restrictions
NCSL: The Electoral College

Elector Certificates & Votes Due to the U.S. Archivist

Electoral votes must be received by the President of the Senate and the Archivist by Dec 25. The Archivist processes them via the Office of the Federal Register (OFR). OFR receives the Certificates of Ascertainment and Certificates of Vote, validates, and sends a copy to Congress by Jan 3, maintaining a backup.

Further reading:
Election Task Force: The Electoral Count Reform Act and the Process of Electing a President
National Archives: Electoral College Key Dates
National Archives: Roles of Federal and State Officials in the Electoral College Process
NCSL: The Electoral College

119th Congress Sworn In

The newly elected Congress is sworn into office, according to the Certificates of Election issued by the executive of their respective states.

Further reading:
Democracy Docket: After Election Day: The Basics of Election Certification

Congress Counts Electoral College Votes

Congress meets to count electoral votes, with the president of the senate (usually the VP) opening certificates in a ministerial role. Objections need signatures from one-fifth of each chamber. The VP announces the results and declares the President and VP.

Further reading:
National Archives: Roles of Federal and State Officials in the Electoral College Process
Election Task Force: The Electoral Count Reform Act and the Process of Electing a President
NCSL: The Electoral College

Inauguration Day

At noon, the President-elect and Vice President-elect each take their Oath of Office and assume their respective positions.

Further reading:
USA.gov: Inauguration
Election Task Force: Presidential Transition Improvement Act

Ready to take the next step? 

The National Task Force on Election Crises is a cross-partisan collection of more than 50 experts dedicated to ensuring free and fair elections by recommending responses to a range of potential election crises. The only electoral outcome this group advocates is that elections are free and fair.

Join our Advocates List at the link below to receive information and resources about free and fair elections as the Task Force continues to monitor the 2024 election and beyond.