Who certifies the election in Ohio, and by when?
County boards certify by November 24, then the Secretary of State canvasses and declares the results within 10 days of receiving all county abstracts.
County boards of elections certify their results no later than the 21st day after the election, November 24. The Secretary of State then fixes a time for the state canvass no later than 10 days after receiving every county's abstracts, canvasses the results in the presence of notified officials, and declares the results. Certificates of election issue only after the recount-application window has closed and any recount that was applied for is complete.
County boards certify first
The county board of elections receives the precinct results and canvasses the county results. County boards must finish the official canvass by November 24, 2026, the 21st day after the election. The county board then sends its abstract to the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State canvasses and declares the results
The Secretary of State receives the county results and canvasses the statewide results. The Secretary must fix a time for the state canvass no later than 10 days after receiving every county's abstracts, notify the Governor, Auditor, Attorney General, and each party's state chair, and then canvass and declare the results in the presence of whichever notified persons attend.
Certificates issue after any recount is complete
Certificates of election issue only after the recount-application window has closed and any recount that was applied for is complete. A recount is automatic when the margin is one half of one percent or less, or one quarter of one percent or less for a statewide race, and it must take place within 10 days after it is declared. A candidate who was not declared elected may request a recount with the relevant county or counties. The recount must take place within 10 days of the request.
Contesting the result
A contest must be filed within 15 days after the results are announced, or within 10 days after the results of a recount are announced.
See every question about how Ohio counts and certifies votes
Learn more about county canvassing, state certification, recounts, and deadlines.
Vote counting in OhioFrequently asked questions
Q. Who certifies a U.S. House race in Ohio, and by when?
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. Each county board of elections conducts the official canvass first, beginning not earlier than the fifth day or later than the fifteenth day after the election and finishing not later than the twenty-first day, November 24, 2026.
Q. When must absentee ballots arrive to be counted?
Absentee ballots must be received by the board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Q. When does a recount happen automatically?
A recount is automatic when the margin is one half of one percent or less, or one quarter of one percent or less for a statewide race, and it must take place within 10 days after it is declared.
Sources
- NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
- NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines
- Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
- nass.org, https://www.nass.org/node/2455; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a500RuPokeDzM6vPaWIW1CjeLlCGioenYLbgBjsOL3Y/edit?gid=840308789#gid=840308789
- Ohio Rev. Code 3505.38, codes.ohio.gov, https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3505.38 · 2026-09-25
- Ohio Revised Code, Sections 3505.33 and 3505.35, https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3505.35 · 2026-03-20