How Long Will Vote Counting Take In Ohio: Presidential Race

OHIO — With polls closed in Ohio, vote tallying has now begun. Election officials will tabulate early votes, absentee ballots and votes cast during the Nov. 3 general election.

In the days leading up to the election, polls of likely voters showed a razor-thin contest in Ohio between President Donald Trump and challenger former Vice President Joe Biden. The Buckeye State has 18 electoral votes and no Republican president has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

With coronavirus complicating life in the Buckeye State and around the nation, a pitched battle over early voting and vote counting has been held at every level of government. As of Monday, more than 3.4 million voters in Ohio had voted early, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

In Ohio, early votes can be scanned but not tabulated until polls close. That means election officials could begin announcing results as early as 8 p.m., when early voting results are expected to be announced in parts of Ohio.

Ohio counties will also be counting all votes cast on Tuesday. Those results will roll in throughout the evening.

All results announced on Nov. 3 or Nov. 4 will be unofficial tallies. Final, official voting results are due from each county by Nov. 24. Officials will have until Dec. 3 to request a recount.