When the polls close on Election Day, the race isn't truly over. A meticulous, multi-step process of counting and verification begins. Here’s how New York transforms millions of individual ballots into a single, official federal election result.
The First Count: The County Canvass
The journey from a cast ballot to a certified result starts at the local level, with each of New York's county boards of elections. The process of counting and verifying all the votes is known as the 'canvass'. On the day after the election, the bipartisan county board of canvassers meets to begin this official tally. This isn't just a simple recount of the machine totals from election night. This is a deliberate procedure where officials process and count every validly cast ballot, including absentee,
military, and affidavit ballots. Affidavit ballots, cast by voters whose names didn't appear in the poll book, are reviewed to determine eligibility. This initial phase ensures that every legitimate vote is included in the count before any results are finalized.
Checks and Balances: Audits and Recanvassing
Before a county can certify its results, New York Election Law mandates a series of audits to ensure accuracy and build public trust. A recanvass is conducted where the tabulated result tape from each ballot scanner is compared with the numbers recorded by poll workers. Furthermore, a post-election audit involves a manual hand-count of ballots from a randomly selected portion of voting machines. The hand-counted results are compared to the machine's totals to verify the equipment functioned correctly. This critical step acts as a safeguard, confirming the integrity of the electronic voting systems used across the state. If any clerical errors or omissions are found, election officials can be summoned to make necessary corrections.
Making it Official: County-Level Certification
Once all votes are counted, reviewed, and audited, the bipartisan county board of canvassers makes its formal determination. They certify in writing the results for each office within their jurisdiction. This written determination, signed by a majority of the board members, is filed and recorded. For federal and statewide offices, this isn't the final step, but it is a crucial milestone. The county board prepares a certified statement of its canvass and transmits it to the New York State Board of Elections. This must happen within 25 days of the election, marking the completion of the local phase and passing the baton to state officials.
The Statewide Tally: The State Board Convenes
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