Sacramento County is processing and counting ballots following the November 3 General Election. The county received over 310,000 ballots before Election Day and at least 255,155 ballots on or after Election Day, which must be verified and counted.

Election staff are currently sorting and scanning ballot envelopes, verifying signatures, and preparing ballots for scanning and tabulation. The official canvass will also include processing remaining eligible ballots and conducting a manual tally of a sample of ballots.

Press Release: Sacramento County

Reproduced in full from the Sacramento County.

Election Day Is Over. Now What?

Published on November 09, 2026

Taxes and Voting

Election Day has come and gone, but the work of processing and counting ballots in Sacramento County is still underway.

For the November 3 General Election, Sacramento County received more than 310,000 ballots before Election Day and at least 255,155 ballots on or after Election Day. Each of those ballots must go through a series of processes to ensure it is eligible and accurately counted.

So, what happens after you return your ballot?

The vast majority of Sacramento County voters return their ballots by mail or drop box, and processing those ballots takes additional time. Each ballot must be received, verified and processed before it can be counted."

First, ballot envelopes are sorted and scanned so election staff can record when they were received and identify the voter. Then, working in teams of two, staff verify each voter's signature against the signature in their voter file. If a signature is missing or doesn't match, the voter is notified and given an opportunity to resolve the issue.

Once the signatures are verified, ballots are sent off to processing, where they are separated from their envelope, removing identifying information and ensuring the ballots remains anonymous. Ballots are then prepared for scanning and tabulated.

Some ballots require additional attention. For example, damaged ballots that cannot be read by scanning equipment may need to be duplicated by trained staff. Ballots with unclear voter selections are also reviewed to ensure voter intent is properly interpreted.

And that's not all. After Election Day, Sacramento County conducts the official canvass, a comprehensive accounting of the election. This includes processing remaining eligible ballots, reviewing provisional ballots, reconciling the number of ballots issued and received, and conducting a manual tally of a sample of ballots to verify the accuracy of the results.

The process can take several weeks, but residents don't have to wait until election results are certified to see how it works.

The public is welcome to observe any part of the election process. Sacramento County also offers Life of a Ballot tours on select Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment. The tours give residents an opportunity to see firsthand how ballots are sorted, signatures are verified and votes are counted.

Election Night results are just the beginning. Sacramento County's election team continues working until every eligible ballot has been processed and the official results are certified.

To learn more about election security, ballot processing and opportunities to observe election activities, visit Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections.

Contact Information

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Ken Casparis

Sacramento County Public Information Department