Save Election Day

Remember when Election Day used to be just that, a day? Now, it drags on for weeks. In 2022, it took 35 days for all the votes in federal elections to be counted.

The delay in election results is driven by mass vote-by-mail. 17 states now accept mail ballots that arrive after Election Day. Some accept ballots up to 14 days after Election Day.

All of the states shaded in blue accept mail ballots after Election Day. Select a state from the dropdown to learn how many days they accept mail ballots after Election Day.

Alaska

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

California

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

Illinois

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 14 days after Election Day.

Kansas

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

Maryland

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

Massachusetts

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

Mississippi

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 5 days after Election Day.

Nevada

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 4 days after Election Day.

New Jersey

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 6 days after Election Day.

New York

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 13 days after Election Day.

Ohio

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

Oregon

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

Texas

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 1 day after Election Day.

Utah

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 14 days after Election Day.

Virginia

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

West Virginia

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 5 days after Election Day.

Click on the pin to learn how long these states accept ballots that arrive after Election Day.

Alaska

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

California

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

Illinois

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 14 days after Election Day.

Kansas

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

Maryland

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

Massachusetts

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

Mississippi

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 5 days after Election Day.

Nevada

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 4 days after Election Day.

New Jersey

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 6 days after Election Day.

New York

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

North Dakota

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 13 days after Election Day.

Ohio

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 10 days after Election Day.

Oregon

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 7 days after Election Day.

Texas

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 1 day after Election Day.

Utah

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 14 days after Election Day.

Virginia

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 3 days after Election Day.

West Virginia

Accepts mail ballots that arrive 5 days after Election Day.

Why Election Day Still Means Something in Florida

Who can forget the first time the federal elections drug on for weeks? All eyes were on Florida as the election officials debated hanging chads and the winner of the presidency hung in the balance. Would the next President be Gore? Would it be Bush? The whole country sat on the edge of their seats.

After five weeks, the Supreme Court got involved and ended the recounting of votes. Florida’s 2000s election was the worst in the country’s history.

Fast forward to 2023. Florida election officials got their act together and cleaned up their election system to make it one of the few states that was able to get their election results in early on Election night. In 2022, Florida’s U.S. House, Senate, and Gubernatorial races were all called within two hours of the polls closing.

Florida Secretary of State, Cord Byrd, let PILF investigators into his office to see how Florida gets all their votes counted securely by election night.

WHY ELECTION DAY STILL MEANS SOMETHING IN FLORIDA

Worst to First details how Florida is able to know its election results on election night.

To put the “Day” back in Election Day states must implement these commonsense reforms:

  • Pre-election audit of equipment to avoid election day mishaps
  • Absentee ballots must arrive by Election Day
  • Absentee ballot verification through unique identifying numbers like driver’s license or Social Security numbers
  • Early canvassing of absentee ballots with observers and criminal penalties for releasing pre-canvass count information
  • Electronic poll books
  • Paper ballots counted electronically
  • Ban ranked choice voting

Litigating to Restore the Day in Election Day

Our team of the country’s top election lawyers are fighting to save Election Day. Federal law requires a single national Election Day to be held on the second Tuesday in November.

Every mention of Election Day in federal law is singular not plural.

17 states and the District of Columbia accept ballots that arrive after Election Day. These policies expanding Election Day to Election Month lead to delayed results and distrust.

PILF has taken the fight to save Election Day to the courts. We have filed a legal brief in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to have a Mississippi law that expands Election Day by 5 days to be declared a violation of federal law.

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE v. WETZEL

Mississippi law conflicts with federal law by allowing the acceptance and tabulation of ballots that arrive up to 5 days after Election Day.

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