Who certifies the election in Pennsylvania, and by when?

County boards of elections canvass their returns and send unofficial results to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Unofficial county returns are due by 5 p.m. on November 10 and become final five days later, November 15, if no recount is sought. The statutory duty to certify by the third Monday after the election applies even after a recount or court-ordered revision.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth is Pennsylvania's certifying body. Once the Secretary receives certified county returns, state law says the Secretary shall forthwith proceed to tabulate, compute and canvass the votes cast. No completion deadline is set. The Secretary certifies state and federal results and issues certificates for state offices, while the Governor issues them for federal offices.

Automatic recounts apply when a candidate on the statewide ballot loses by one half of one percent or less, and the recount must be completed by the Tuesday after the third Wednesday after the election, which is November 24, 2026. Any three qualified electors may file a petition alleging fraud or error to force a recount. A contest petition must be filed within 20 days after the election, by November 23, 2026.