The Tortoise & The Hare: Election Results in 2020

In partnership with the UVA Miller Center, Ballotpedia and fivethirtyeight.com, we're sharing a map to help voters manage expectations for Election Night. The map goes beyond the usual blue and red. It looks at how quickly votes will be counted. 

Every state counts ballots according to a different time-table, especially mail-in ballots, absentee ballots and early votes. States differ on when they tally sealed mail-in ballots, when they open the outer envelopes, and even when they count the actual votes. 

Minnesota, for example, does not start counting mail-in ballots until the polls close. Whereas many other states start counting mail-in ballots earlier on Election Day, while others start counting mail-in ballots as they arrive, before Election Day. 

With these variables in mind, we're providing an infographic that highlights states' vote-tallying speeds. In states whose results are less likely to come in on Election Night, you'll see a tortoise. States that are more likely to post results have a hare. 

In all cases, no matter how fast or slow, every vote must be counted. Eventually both the tortoise and the hare cross the finish line. In elections, it's accuracy, not speed, that counts.