Who certifies the election in Virginia, and by when?
The State Board of Elections certifies results by the first Monday in December
The State Board of Elections certifies federal, statewide, General Assembly, and shared offices by the first Monday in December. For the November 2026 general election, that deadline is December 7, 2026. Local electoral boards finish their canvass within 10 days of the election, by November 13, 2026, and send results to the State Board.
Local canvass comes first
Each county and city canvasses its results the day after the election and sends them to the State Board of Elections. Local electoral boards must finish the canvass within 10 days of the election, by November 13, 2026.
Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by noon on Friday November 6, 2026.
The State Board certifies statewide and federal races
The State Board of Elections canvasses the results for state and federal offices, determines the winners and issues certificates of election. For federal, statewide, General Assembly, and shared offices, the State Board ascertains November results by the first Monday in December.
After the State Board ascertains the result, it issues certificates of election. For U.S. House races, it forwards the certificate of election to the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Recounts and contests
Within 10 days of certification, a losing candidate may ask for a recount when the margin is not more than one percent of the votes cast for the two leading candidates. The recount is at state expense when the margin is not more than one half of one percent.
A contest must be filed within 30 days after the election, by December 3, 2026, or within 10 days after a recount court order if a recount came first.
See every question about how votes are counted in Virginia
Learn about canvassing, certification, recounts, and what happens after Election Day.
How votes are countedFrequently asked questions
Q. Who certifies a U.S. House race in Virginia, and by when?
The State Board of Elections certifies U.S. House results, meeting by the first Monday in December, December 7, 2026. Each local electoral board canvasses first, finishing within ten calendar days. After the State Board ascertains the result and endorses a certificate of its determination, it forwards a certificate of election to the Clerk of the U.S. House.
Q. When do local boards finish counting?
Local electoral boards meet by 5 p.m. the day after the election and have up to ten calendar days to complete canvassing. They consider provisional ballots within seven calendar days from the date of the election. For the November 2026 general election, a mailed ballot counts if it is postmarked by Election Day and received before noon on the third day after the election.
Q. What is the deadline to contest an election result?
A contest must be filed within 30 days after the election, by December 3, 2026, or within 10 days after a recount court order if a recount came first.
Sources
- Vote.org, Virginia Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/virginia/
- 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
- NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
- NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
- Code of Virginia (law.lis.virginia.gov), https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title24.2/chapter6/section24.2-679/