When are election results certified?

Election results are certified state by state. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission says that "State and local election officials are the authorities on election certification dates." For the general election held on November 3, 2026, California's Secretary of State certifies the statewide result on December 11, 2026, and Washington's Secretary of State has until December 3, 2026.

Certification dates for the November 3, 2026 election

These dates come from the official calendars of the California Secretary of State and the Washington Secretary of State.

California's calendar also lists certificates of election on December 11, 2026, the same day as the statewide certification.

Why election night results are not final

The totals shown on election night are unofficial. The Election Assistance Commission says that results reported on election night are never the final, certified results, and that they are still unofficial even when they show 100 percent of precincts reporting. The commission also says that results reported on election night are not final even though the media may call a projected winner, because only election officials provide official results.

How certification works

Certification follows a review called the canvass. According to the Election Assistance Commission, the canvass aggregates and confirms every valid ballot cast and counted, including mail ballots, ballots from military and overseas voters, early votes, Election Day votes and provisional ballots. During the canvass, officials reconcile the number of ballots cast with the number of voters, so that every valid vote is included in the final results.

Certification is the last step. The commission describes it as election officials attesting that the results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast in the election. Depending on the state, the certifying authority can be a single elected official such as the secretary of state or the governor, the state legislature, an appointed election director or a board with several members.

In both California and Washington, the calendars above show counties certifying first and the state certifying afterward.

What can move the date

A recount may affect the timeline for final certification, depending on state law. The Election Assistance Commission gives two examples: New Hampshire law places state certification after the deadline for a recount has expired, and West Virginia counties must certify within 30 days of the election or, if there is a recount, within 30 days of completing it.

For what the results mean in Washington, D.C., see when the new Congress starts and which party controls Congress.