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Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk: General election information
Click here for more information about our 2020 election coverage.
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| Frequently asked questions General questions Presidential election Processing/counting mail ballots Results and certification Disputing results • Officeholder transitions | |
| Absentee/mail-in voting analysis Mail-in voting by state, 2016-2018 Mail-in rejection by state, 2016-2018 Uncalled races, 2018 When can states begin counting? Processing, counting, and challenging ballots | |
| Voting in 2020 Absentee/mail-in voting • Early voting • Voter ID Poll opening and closing times Recount laws by state Recount margin requirements by state U.S. Supreme Court actions | |
| Elections by state | |
The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions.
Election rules and processes vary widely among states and localities. Frequently asked questions related to general election information include:
- Who runs elections in the United States?
- Why do states have different election rules?
- What methods do states use to prevent election fraud?
- Do you have to vote for everything on your ballot?
- What happens if you mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
- How will election recounts work?
- What is a spoiled ballot?
- What is a write-in candidate?
- How can I check the status of my ballot?
- Can I take a ballot selfie?
Who runs elections in the United States?
Election administration in the U.S. is largely decentralized. Administrators at the state and local level are responsible for running elections, from maintaining voter registration records to counting ballots. As a result, election laws and procedures vary widely among states and localities. To read more about who runs elections across the country, click here.
Why do states have different election rules?
Election rules vary widely among states because states, rather than the federal government, play the primary role in creating policy on elections administration. State legislatures and ballot measures create many of the rules governing ballot access, voter registration, and vote counting. Why is this the case? Click here to find out.
What methods do states use to prevent election fraud?
Election fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Election fraud can take place around in-person voting and absentee/mail-in voting. It can occur at different points of the election process, from registration to the tallying of ballots. Some broad methods that states use to prevent election fraud include: voter list maintenance, signature requirements, witness requirements, ballot collection laws, and voter identification laws. Click here to learn more about these different methods.
Do you have to vote for everything on your ballot?
The act of leaving one option blank on a ballot while filling out other options is commonly referred to as undervoting. Does undervoting impact your ballot in any way or prevent it from being counted? Does it change the election results or how the results are calculated? Click here to find out.
What happens if you mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
In some states, election officials may reject ballots that have stray marks or that have been filled out in pencil. To avoid the possibility that your ballot is rejected for these reasons, follow the instructions on the ballot carefully. To learn more, click here.
How will election recounts work?
- See also: How will election recounts work?
An election recount is a process by which votes cast in an election are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of the original results. Recounts typically occur in the event of a close margin of victory, following accusations of election fraud, or due to the possibility of administrative errors.[1] Click here to learn more about how they begin, how they work, and what happens after they end.
What is a spoiled ballot?
- See also: What is a spoiled ballot? (2020)
Ballots can be spoiled and not counted by election officials. Spoiled ballots can happen for any number of accidental or deliberate reasons and do not make it into the ballot box. To learn more about how ballots become spoiled, click here.
What is a write-in candidate?
- See also: What is a write-in candidate? (2020)
Some states give voters the option of writing in a candidate's name, rather than voting for a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot. Can voters write in anyone's name and have the vote counted? Click here to find out.
How can I check the status of my ballot?
Forty-four states and the District of Columbia allow voters to track the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot online. To learn where you can check the status of your absentee ballot, click here.
Can I take a ballot selfie?
- See also: Can I take a ballot selfie? (2020)
Ballot selfies are photos taken by voters showing their completed ballot. State laws govern whether voters can share ballot selfies. Click here to check whether the law in your state allows voters to share ballot selfies.
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