Here’s what to expect as election night approaches

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — If you haven’t voted yet and plan to take part in the 2022 General Election, there are some things to know before you go.

The State Board of Elections has issued a list of what to expect at the polls as Election Day approaches on November 8th:

1)    Minor disruptions arise during every election, such as power outages, tabulator or printer jams, or longer lines at some voting places. These are not indications of malicious activity, and processes are in place to respond to each scenario.

2)    It is not unusual for the State Board to extend polling hours beyond 7:30 p.m. if a disruption at a polling place causes an interruption in voting. The Board will issue a public notice if it meets on Election Day to consider polling hours extensions.

3)    Unofficial election results will be reported as they become available on the State Board’s Election Results Dashboard. Once polls close at 7:30 p.m., the dashboard is updated regularly throughout election night as county boards of elections report results to the state.

4)    Election night results are always unofficial. Elections are far from over on election night. In the days after the election, bipartisan election officials in all 100 counties will ensure every eligible ballot is counted. They will audit and ultimately certify the results.

5)    The State Board anticipates that the unofficial results reported by the end of election night will include about 99 percent of all ballots cast in North Carolina in the 2022 general election. The State Board will stop adding ballots to the totals on election night only after there are no additional ballots to count at that point.

6)    Ballots that will be counted and reported by the end of election night include:

• All votes cast by voters during the One-Stop early voting period, excluding provisional ballots, which must be researched post-election to determine voter eligibility.
• All by-mail absentee votes received by the county boards of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, November 7.
• All Election Day votes, excluding provisional ballots, which must be researched.

7)    Ballots that will not be counted and added to unofficial results on election night include:

• Properly signed and witnessed absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive in the mail by 5 p.m. Monday, November 14.
• Overseas and military absentee ballots that arrive by mail to the county board of elections by 5 p.m. November 17.
• All provisional ballots, which must be researched after the election to determine voter eligibility. For more, see Provisional Voting.

8)    The general timeline for results reporting is as follows, but various factors can affect the timing:

• 7:30 p.m.: Polls close.
• 7:30 p.m.–9 p.m.: Counties report results of one-stop early voting and absentee by-mail ballots received by 5 p.m. Monday, November 7.
• 7:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.: Precinct officials hand-deliver Election Day results to county boards of elections offices.
• 8:30 p.m.–midnight: Election Day precinct results are reported; reporting continues until all Election Day unofficial results are posted.

9)    Elections officials do not “call” elections. Election officials never “call” or project a race for any candidate. Projections are made by media and/or candidates using unofficial results, typically based on the vote difference and the number of votes yet to be counted in a contest.

10) Stay tuned to the State Board for additional information about the election. The State Board plans to issue additional news releases in the coming days, including tips for Election Day voters and information about post-election processes, including audits and recounts.