When to expect election results

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - While Tuesday is election day, it likely won't be results day. While many local races could be called on Tuesday night, national results will take longer.

Dr. Kent Redfield, Professor Emeritus of Political Studies at University of Illinois Springfield says different forms of voting have made the process more difficult for election officials. Instead of counting ballots cast on election day on election night, states now receive mail-in ballots before election day, and have a significant number of early voters.

While Illinois processes mail in ballots as they receive them, this isn't the case in every state.

"There are two states that don't process vote by mail, they don't start looking at those ballots until seven o'clock the day of the election," said Redfield. "Those two states are Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. They are two of the battleground states, everybody assumes this is where the election is going to be decided."

The timeline for processing mail-in ballots isn't the only difference by state. Some have different procedures for certifying results, and contesting them. So while we should know statewide results within 24 hours of polls closing, Redfield doesn't expect national results until Friday.

"The presidential race is waiting on aggregating all of that from the county level to the state level and the election authority," said Redfield. "And so that's why it takes more time congressional races."