On election night, TV networks start calling races within minutes of the polls closing. Then some races sit uncalled for days. Both of those are normal, and they’re not in conflict.
Networks call races. States certify them.
When a network “calls” a race, that’s a projection from its own data team. It isn’t official. The official result comes later, when each state certifies its count, usually weeks after Election Day.
Why counting takes time
Every state runs its own elections and sets its own rules. Some states let officials start processing mail ballots before Election Day. Others don’t allow it until the polls open or even close, so those ballots pile up and get counted after.
Mail ballots also take longer than in-person votes. Officials have to check signatures, open envelopes and flatten ballots before machines can read them.
The ballots that come later
Many states count mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive a few days later. There are also provisional ballots, which are cast when a voter’s eligibility needs checking. Those get reviewed one by one.
A race that’s close on election night can flip once the later ballots are counted. That’s the count finishing, not the result changing.
What to watch
If a race is within a point, look at which ballots are still out and where they’re from. That tells you more than the running total does.
Sources: U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Conference of State Legislatures