US Congressional vote counting expected to extend beyond Election Day
The determination of Congressional control remains uncertain as ballot counting processes and specific state voting methods delay final results.
The Associated Press, responsible for calling all 435 House and 35 Senate races, notes that final results for Congressional control may be delayed. With the House majority requiring 218 seats and the Senate requiring 51—or 50 with a tie-breaking vote—the margins remain narrow.
Historical data suggests these delays are common. During the 2024 presidential cycle, it took eight days to confirm control of the House, while Senate results were confirmed the day after Election Day. Factors contributing to the slow reporting include high volumes of mail-in ballots in populous states like California, where large numbers of votes are often processed post-Election Day.
Additionally, states such as Alaska and Maine utilize ranked-choice voting. This system requires the redistribution of ballots if no candidate secures a majority in the first round, a process that inherently extends the tabulation timeline. The Associated Press maintains that it will only call races when all mathematical scenarios for a trailing candidate to close the gap have been exhausted.