The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case challenging whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day, a practice currently allowed in about 20 states, including Mississippi, which is contesting a law that grants a five-day grace period for mail ballots. The case could impact voting procedures and the counting of late-arriving ballots in future elections.
The New York City 2025 mayoral election features Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a progressive candidate, facing off against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, with key races and ballot measures also on the ballot. Mamdani's campaign has sparked debate within the Democratic Party, and the election results are expected to be closely watched, with vote counting continuing after polls close.
New Jersey's gubernatorial race between Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli is expected to have faster results due to new voting laws allowing mail-in ballots to be counted up to five days before Election Day, marking the first election under this reform, which aims to speed up vote counting and provide clearer results.
Catherine Connolly, a left-wing independent candidate with a pro-Palestine stance, is set to become Ireland's next president after her rival conceded defeat, with vote counting still underway across the country.
Voting has concluded in Ireland's presidential election, with early indications suggesting low turnout; the votes will be counted starting Saturday, and the new president will be announced later that day, replacing outgoing President Michael D Higgins.
Both main candidates in Malawi's presidential election claimed victory, despite the electoral commission not yet announcing official results, as the country awaits the final tally in a closely contested race between President Lazarus Chakwera and challenger Peter Mutharika.
Malawi is counting votes in a closely contested presidential election amid economic hardship, with a potential runoff between incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and former President Peter Mutharika, as the country faces high inflation, fuel shortages, and recent natural disasters.
As the vote counting continues, Republicans are close to securing a majority in the House with 216 seats, needing just two more. Several races remain uncalled, including tight contests in Iowa, Maine, and California. Notably, California's 21st and 9th districts see Democratic leads, while Republicans hold slight advantages in others. The Pennsylvania Senate race remains contentious, with Sen. Bob Casey not conceding despite a lead by Sen.-elect David McCormick. Meanwhile, some races have been called, including victories for Reps. Dan Newhouse and David Valadao, both of whom voted to impeach Trump.
In the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race, GOP candidate Dave McCormick declared victory after the Associated Press called the race in his favor, despite over 100,000 ballots still being counted. McCormick, who flew to Connecticut for his daughter's soccer game, faced criticism from incumbent Sen. Bob Casey for his ties to Connecticut. Casey has not conceded, emphasizing the importance of counting all votes. The race remains close, with a potential recount if the margin is 0.5% or lower.
California's vote-counting process is notably lengthy due to the state's large population and voter-friendly policies, which result in millions of ballots needing validation and counting. This extended timeline contrasts with the rest of the country, where election results are typically finalized more quickly.
The control of the House of Representatives remains undecided as several races, particularly in western states like California, have yet to be called due to outstanding votes. The Associated Press indicates that the final results may not be available this week.
Incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Casey remains optimistic about his re-election chances despite trailing GOP challenger David McCormick in the Pennsylvania Senate race. Casey's campaign emphasizes the importance of counting all votes, particularly from Philadelphia, before conceding. As of Wednesday morning, McCormick holds a narrow lead with 49.1% of the votes compared to Casey's 48.3%. Supporters are prepared for a potentially prolonged vote-counting process.
Wisconsin entrepreneur Eric Hovde expressed disappointment over the impact of a "fraudulent candidate" on the election results, claiming it affected the race's outcome. He emphasized the importance of monitoring the final precinct results to ensure every vote is counted.
Former President Donald Trump has secured a second term, and Republicans have taken control of the Senate, but the House of Representatives remains undecided with key races still uncalled. Several Senate races, including those in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada, are too close to call, while numerous competitive House races, particularly in California, are still pending results. The outcome of these races will determine the final control of Congress, with vote counting expected to continue for days or weeks.
The Associated Press (AP) can declare winners in some states immediately after polls close by analyzing multiple data sources, including AP VoteCast surveys and historical voting trends. This is typically done in uncontested or noncompetitive races where one party has a strong history of winning. The AP ensures not to call competitive races prematurely and waits for sufficient vote counts to confirm outcomes. In states with multiple time zones, the AP waits until all polls have closed before declaring a winner.