In our decentralized system, every state sets its own processes for running elections. So every state has slightly different rules for when mail or absentee ballots must be received and when they can be processed or counted. Wisconsin’s election laws and processes mean that it’s unlikely we will know the results of the 2024 election on election night, especially in a close race. 

Why? Wisconsin is different from many states because state law does not permit pre-processing of absentee ballots. That means election workers in Wisconsin may not begin processing absentee ballots until 7 AM on Election Day. Once they start, each absentee ballot can take several minutes to process. There are hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots set to be cast in this election, and it will take considerable time to count them all. 

In 2020, nearly two million absentee votes were cast. It took one day after the election for counties to complete the vote counting process before a presidential winner for the state could be declared. 

What is pre-processing?

Pre-processing allows election workers to remove absentee ballots from their envelopes before Election Day to confirm the ballot is eligible to be counted. Pre-processing significantly reduces the time it takes to tabulate and finalize the vote count. In 2024, the Wisconsin State Senate decided not to allow pre-processing of absentee ballots in the state for the 2024 presidential election.