NPR

Why elections are not over until the votes are certified

Even after vote counting ends, the midterms are not officially over until the results are certified. Election deniers who don't like the results may try to slow down or stop this step.
Election workers sort ballots at the Maricopa County Ballot Tabulation Center last week in Phoenix. The election is not considered over until the vote totals are reviewed and certified.

Voting has ended, and most winners have been declared.

But even after all states finish counting and reviewing the votes, the 2022 midterm general elections are not officially over until the results are certified.

That largely ceremonial step in the election process that turns unofficial results into official ones had generally not garnered much attention until the 2020 election.

Amid the failed attempt

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