San Diego City Wire

On election night, voters often anticipate immediate results, but the process of counting ballots is time-consuming. The first set of unofficial results will be available shortly after 8 p.m., including mail ballots received before Election Day and vote center ballots from early voting between October 26 and November 4.

For updates on election night, visit sdvote.com or follow the Registrar’s office on X (formerly Twitter). After the initial release, only vote center ballots cast on Election Day will be included in further updates. These ballots arrive at the Registrar’s office after the vote centers close at 8 p.m., leading to a delay as poll workers pack up supplies and transport them from over 200 locations across the county.

Once these ballots reach the Registrar's office, they are scanned, and results are updated periodically until all have been counted. Due to fewer vote centers compared to traditional polling places, updates will be less frequent. Final unofficial results may not be available until 1 a.m. or later, covering only those ballots that could be immediately counted.

The counting process extends beyond election night. The next release of unofficial results is scheduled for posting by 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7 through Saturday, November 9, and again on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from November 11 through November 15. Additional updates depend on the discretion of the Registrar of Voters.

Election results must be certified by December 5. The Registrar plans to use this period fully to ensure every legally cast vote is counted accurately and efficiently. Updates will be posted on sdvote.com with final certified results by December 5.

For more information about the Presidential General Election in November, visit sdvote.com or call (858) 565-5800 or toll-free at (800) 696-0136.