Who signs off on a House race, and by when, state by state
Election Day is November 3, 2026. The result becomes official in the weeks after, on dates each state sets in law. For every state on file: who certifies, the county and state deadlines, the mail ballot deadline, and when a recount happens. Every line comes from the state's own statute or election calendar, linked under it.
Alabama
The State Canvassing Board, made up of the Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General, certifies it by November 25, 2026, under Ala. Code 17-12-17. Any two of the three members may act. County canvassing boards must make a written public declaration of results by noon on November 13, 2026, under Ala. Code 17-12-15, and file the county certificate the same day with the judge of probate, who immediately forwards it to the Secretary of State under 17-12-16. Earlier, the board of registrars delivers certified provisional voter affirmations to the probate judge by noon on November 10, 2026, and the canvassing board tabulates the certified provisional ballots at noon that day, under 17-10-2(e). An absentee ballot returned by mail must reach the absentee election manager by noon on election day, November 3, 2026; a hand-delivered one must arrive by 5 p.m. the day before the election.
The full answer for Alabama · Alabama Secretary of State, 2026 Administrative Election Calendar
Arizona
The Secretary of State canvasses it on November 23, 2026, the third Monday after the election, in the presence of the Governor and Attorney General, under A.R.S. 16-648. After the statewide canvass the Secretary issues a signed certificate of election under A.R.S. 16-650. The canvass rests on the certified county returns and gives the Secretary no discretion to reject valid returns. To be counted, an early (mail) ballot must be received by the county recorder or deposited at any polling place in the county no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day, under A.R.S. 16-548. A recount of a U.S. House race is automatic when the margin between the two candidates receiving the most votes is one-half of one percent or less of the votes cast for both, under A.R.S. 16-661.
The full answer for Arizona · Arizona Revised Statutes Sections 16-648, 16-650 (Arizona State Legislature)
Florida
The Elections Canvassing Commission certifies it at 8 a.m. on November 17, 2026, the fourteenth day after the election, under Fla. Stat. 102.111. County canvassing boards must first file official returns with the Department of State by noon on the thirteenth day, November 16, 2026, under Fla. Stat. 102.112. A vote-by-mail ballot must be received by the county supervisor of elections by 7 p.m. on election day, November 3, 2026, to be counted; Florida has no postmark grace period, under Fla. Stat. 101.67(2). A machine recount is ordered automatically when the unofficial returns show a candidate was defeated by one-half of a percent or less of the votes cast, under Fla. Stat. 102.141(7), and a manual recount of overvotes and undervotes is ordered when the margin is one-quarter of a percent or less, under Fla. Stat. 102.166(1).
The full answer for Florida · Florida Statutes ss. 102.111-102.112 (The Florida Senate)
Iowa
The executive council, sitting as the state board of canvassers, conducts the state canvass and must finish by November 30, 2026, under Iowa Code 50.37 and 50.38. Each county board of supervisors canvasses the vote first, on November 9 or 10, 2026, under Iowa Code 50.24. An absentee ballot returned by mail must be received in the county commissioner's office before the polls close on election day, November 3, 2026, under Iowa Code 53.17(2); Iowa provides no postmark grace period. A recount is not automatic. A candidate may file a recount request for a federal office with the state commissioner of elections no later than 5 p.m. the day following the county canvass, and the commissioner orders the recount to start within seven days, under Iowa Code 50.48.
The full answer for Iowa · Iowa Code Section 50.37 (Iowa Legislature)
Michigan
The Board of State Canvassers certifies it and must announce its determination by November 23, 2026, the twentieth day after the election, under MCL 168.842(1). Before that, the board of county canvassers in each county must conclude its canvass no later than the fourteenth day after the election, November 17, 2026, under MCL 168.822(1). Michigan law makes certification a ministerial, clerical, and nondiscretionary duty at both levels: MCL 168.822(3) for county boards, and MCL 168.842(5) for the state board, which certifies based solely on the certified statements of votes from counties. A recount is not automatic. A candidate who alleges that but for fraud or mistake a different candidate would have been elected may petition, with no minimum margin required for a U.S. House seat, filing by 5 p.m. of the second business day after the Board of State Canvassers certifies, under MCL 168.879.
The full answer for Michigan · Michigan Compiled Laws, MCL 168.842 (Michigan Legislature)
New York
The State Board of Canvassers must meet to certify the general election by December 15, 2026, under New York Election Law 9-216(2). County boards of elections certify and transmit their canvass first, by November 28, 2026, under Election Law 9-214(1). The State Board of Canvassers prepares the general certificate of election for representatives in Congress under Section 9-216. An absentee (mail) ballot is counted if it is postmarked or dated on or before election day and received no later than seven days after the election, by November 10, 2026, under Election Law 8-412(1). A full manual recount is mandatory when the margin of victory is 20 votes or fewer or 0.5 percent or less, or below 5,000 votes where more than one million ballots were cast, under Election Law 9-208(4).
The full answer for New York · New York State Board of Elections, 2026 Political Calendar
North Carolina
The State Board of Elections completes the statewide canvass on November 24, 2026, under N.C.G.S. 163-182.5, and then issues the certificate of election. County boards of elections certify county returns first, at 11:00 a.m. on the tenth day after the election, November 13, 2026. Under N.C.G.S. 163-182.15(b) the State Board issues the certificate of election six days after completing the canvass if no protest is pending, or ten days after the final decision on a pending protest. An absentee (mail) ballot must be received by the county board no later than 7:30 p.m. on election day, November 3, 2026, under N.C.G.S. 163-231(b); North Carolina ended its three-day postmark grace period in 2023. A candidate for a U.S. House seat may demand a recount when the margin is not more than one percent of the total votes cast, under N.C.G.S. 163-182.7(c)(1).
The full answer for North Carolina · North Carolina General Assembly, Chapter 163 Article 15A
Ohio
The Secretary of State canvasses the county abstracts and declares the result, fixing the canvass not later than ten days after receiving all of them, under Ohio Revised Code 3505.35(A). Each county board of elections conducts the official canvass first. Under ORC 3505.32(A) it begins not earlier than the fifth day or later than the fifteenth day after the election and must finish not later than the twenty-first day, November 24, 2026. The county board then certifies its abstract and sends a copy to the Secretary of State under ORC 3505.33. An absent voter's (mail) ballot must be delivered to the county board no later than the close of the polls on election day, November 3, 2026, under ORC 3509.05. An automatic recount is triggered when the margin in a U.S. House race is one-half of one percent or less, under ORC 3515.011.
The full answer for Ohio · Ohio Revised Code, Sections 3505.33 and 3505.35
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, county boards certify returns to the Secretary of the Commonwealth by November 23, 2026, under 25 P.S. 2642(k); the Governor then issues the certificate of election. The Pennsylvania Department of State's 2026 General Election Calendar has county return boards begin computing and canvassing returns no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026, and county boards of elections certify official returns to the Secretary of the Commonwealth by Monday, November 23, 2026. The Secretary then tabulates, computes, canvasses and certifies the returns under 25 P.S. 3159, and the Governor issues certificates of election for U.S. House seats under 25 P.S. 3163. A mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by the county board by 8 p.m. on election day, November 3, 2026, to be counted, under 25 P.S. 3146.8. The newly elected House convenes at noon on January 3, 2027, under Section 2 of the Twentieth Amendment.
The full answer for Pennsylvania · Pennsylvania Department of State, 2026 General Election Calendar
Texas
The Governor conducts the state canvass for a U.S. Representative between November 18 and December 3, 2026, under Texas Election Code Sections 67.010 and 67.012. Each county's commissioners court canvasses its returns first, convening not earlier than the third day and not later than the 11th day after election day, between November 6 and November 14, 2026, under Sections 67.002 and 67.003. County returns go to the Secretary of State within 24 hours of the local canvass under Section 67.007. The Governor canvasses a U.S. House seat because it is a federal office not voted on statewide, a district office under Section 1.005. The state canvass covers the certified county returns and gives the Governor no authority to reject valid returns or change the outcome.
The full answer for Texas · Texas Election Code Secs. 67.010, 67.012, 1.005 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
Virginia
In Virginia, the State Board of Elections certifies a U.S. House race at a meeting held by December 7, 2026, under Va. Code 24.2-679. Each local electoral board makes out, certifies and signs an abstract of votes that includes the vote for members of the U.S. House, under Va. Code 24.2-675, completing it by 5:00 p.m. the day after the election, November 4, 2026, under Va. Code 24.2-671. Localities submit results to the Department of Elections by the tenth day, November 13, 2026. The State Board meets by the first Monday in December, December 7, 2026, to ascertain the results and endorse a certificate of election, and under Va. Code 24.2-680 it forwards the certificate of election to the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. A mailed absentee ballot postmarked on or before election day counts if it arrives by the stated deadline on the third day after the election, under Va. Code 24.2-709.
The full answer for Virginia · Code of Virginia (law.lis.virginia.gov)
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, the chair of the Elections Commission canvasses and certifies the results by December 1 following the general election, according to NCSL. A mailed absentee ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted; ballots arriving later are not counted. County clerks then deliver certified statements of the results by the 14th day after the election, and the Commission chair's canvass and certification follow by December 1. Wisconsin handles provisional ballots differently from most states: it is exempt from the federal provisional ballot requirement because it offered same-day voter registration before 1993, and it uses provisional ballots only selectively.
The full answer for Wisconsin · NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines
A state that is not listed is not on file yet; we add states as their statutes and calendars are read and checked. Nothing here is a guess.