NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. November 6, 2024 – After a short break overnight, Nevada County Elections staff is back to process an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 ballots. That’s our estimate, and we’ll explain how we arrived at that approximate number.
Why so many outstanding ballots?
Typically, 25-30,000 ballots are tabulated after the polls close on election night in Nevada County, a combination of mail-in ballots and in-person voting at the vote centers. Last night, only 15,486 ballots were tabulated after the close of polls.
Before being tabulated, a ballot is checked by a team of people every step of the way. From signature verification, to opening the envelope, to sorting the ballot into the correct precinct. Some of this work is done by a new sorting machine, but every ballot rejected by the system is checked by the trained elections staff.
Once voted ballots started arriving at the Elections Office, an issue with a microscopic overspray was discovered. It’s unknown how many ballots are affected by the printing snafu, but each of the ballots has to be rescanned manually, slowing down the process. A similar printer’s error occurred previously in Orange and San Joaquin counties, but had never occurred before in Nevada County. That accounts for the lower election night results.
At the close of polls, the Elections Office had amassed a total of 48,593 ballots. Drop boxes, USPS mail and vote centers provided for a continuous inflow throughout the day, and ballots continue to arrive via USPS today and in the coming days. By law, a mailed vote-by-mail ballot postmarked on or before Election Day is to be counted if received in the county elections office no later than seven days after the election. Voters who wait until election day to drop off or mail their ballot are the still a large portion of the electorate in Nevada County. The county also has traditionally a high voter turnout. That’s why we estimate the ballots remaining to be counted between 50,000 and 60,000.
When will results be updated?
The Elections Office will provide an update on Friday, Nov. 8. The report will include the number of ballots remaining to be counted at that time (remember ballots can arrive and be counted up to a week after the election) and updated vote totals.
When will results be final?
Right now, every election report is labeled “unofficial” because it is not the final report. County elections officials must report their final results to the Secretary of State for presidential electors by December 3, 2024, and all other contests by December 6, 2024. The Secretary of State will compile the results of the presidential electors by December 7, 2024, and will then certify the results of the entire election by December 13, 2024.
Nevada County Registrar of Voters Natalie Adona expects to finalize results before Thanksgiving and her office will provide updates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Adona is strongly encouraging anyone interested to observe the ballot counting and rescanning process at the Elections Office at 950 Maidu Ave., Nevada City. Anyone may simply show up at the office and ask to observe. The office is open daily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays.
Editor’s note: We’ll keep you posted on any developments and our election results pages continue be updated as soon as new results are available.