Midterm vote counting takes longer than expected in California

While certain precincts in Alaska manage to transmit early data to central election offices on the night of the vote, allowing for preliminary tallies, a complete picture of the results takes significantly longer to emerge. Election expert Charles Stewart, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, notes that the state faces immense logistical hurdles due to its size, which is more than six times that of the UK.

A significant factor in the delay is the processing of mail-in ballots, which can arrive up to 10 days after the election, or 15 days for those voting from overseas, provided they are postmarked by election day. Mr Stewart explained that officials have "chosen to err on the side of getting it right rather than a rush to report the second and third tranches of ballots that get counted".

All ballots, whether submitted in person or by post, must eventually reach Juneau for scanning and counting. Because the state capital is accessible only by boat or plane, transporting materials from remote areas takes time. Election lawyer Scott Kendall, who previously worked for Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, noted that in some tiny villages, "you get someone who's basically running the election for their family and their neighbours because it's such a small village".

In these isolated regions, ballots are sealed in special containers and sent via mail, often relying on firms like Alaska Seaplanes. These boxes are flown to Juneau, where they are then delivered by the post office. Describing the process, Kline said: "It's part of our daily routine, just another couple of boxes."