When will votes start being counted in Pa? The process behind finding the winner

After months of campaigning, it’s Election Day.

In-person voting is now underway in what has been one of the most hotly contested presidential races. And nowhere has the competition been more intense than in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state considered essential to winning the White House.

So, when will we find out if the relentless ads, competing rallies, and high-profile appearances across the state paid off for Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump?

When does vote counting start?

In Pennsylvania, vote counting begins now.

Mail-in ballots, which make up a healthy portion of Pennsylvania’s vote, are counted first. Election workers this morning are already preparing these ballots for counting, verifying signatures and opening ballot envelopes. Once that is finished, counting starts.

In-person ballots are tabulated right at polling places using electronic systems that immediately record and store votes. Once polls close, these results can be quickly reported to the county.

The first counts reported tonight will likely be mail-in votes, offering a snapshot of how the race will play out.

But, the full picture will remain unclear until both mail-in and in-person counts are complete — a process that could stretch for days.

Pennsylvania has strict measures in place to maintain election integrity, including mandatory audits. All counties must conduct a 2% sample audit of ballots, along with a Risk-Limiting Audit (RLA), to confirm accuracy. These audits ensure that the reported results reflect the true vote count, but they can add time to the process, especially in close races.

Making the final call on who won depends on how fast counting goes and the margin between Harris and Trump.

News organizations and election officials closely monitor vote totals, and once they see a clear trend unlikely to change with remaining ballots, they “call” the race.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: When will votes start being counted in Pennsylvania?