Idaho election officials will begin releasing the first unofficial election results after all polls in the state close at 9 p.m. local time Tuesday. But it could be well into Wednesday before Idahoans know the outcome of a statewide ballot question like Proposition 1 or the next general election.

“I'm confident it's going to be a long election night,” Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane said in an interview Thursday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. “Some districts will be ready quickly, others will take longer.”

McGrane said the size of the county, the equipment used and the number of ballots it can process are factors in how long it takes to release election results.

Results will be released in batches throughout the night, with many counties releasing their absentee and early voting results only after polls close, McGrane said.

Just because votes are still being counted doesn't mean people can still vote. Polls in Idaho close at 8:00 p.m. local time and voters must be present by the 8:00 p.m. deadline on Election Day to vote.

When it comes to determining the winner of the presidential election, it could take even longer. Since Idaho is a deep red state where Republicans hold an absolute majority, there is little doubt that former President Donald Trump will win Idaho.

But with the national presidential election approaching, the counting of mail-in ballots could be a factor in how long it takes to find out who won. McGrane said several states — but not Idaho — allow voters to send in mail-in ballots postmarked until Election Day, meaning mail-in ballots in those states won't be received and counted until after Election Day.

“Patience is a virtue here,” McGrane said.

All mail-in ballots in Idaho must be received by county election officials by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

It is important to remember that election results released after polls close are unofficial results.

Election results do not become official in Idaho until they are certified by the State Board of Canvassers. After the election, county election officials double-check information such as the number of voters and the number of ballots cast to ensure every ballot was counted, McGrane said. Election officials also conduct an audit of ballots from randomly selected counties.

Then, on Nov. 26, the State Board of Canvassers will meet to formally certify the results of Idaho's 2024 general election, McGrane said.

Once the polls close, election results will be available at the Idaho Secretary of State's office Website voteIdaho.gov. What's new for the 2024 general election is that the Idaho Secretary of State's Office is launching a “Close Races” tab on voteIdaho.gov, where the system will automatically search for and post the results of Idaho's next caucuses on one page, McGrane said. By grouping closed races into one tab, Idahoans can watch the closest races in one location without having to click between different districts and races to find nearby races.

“Managing the release of results – people obviously want information quickly,” McGrane said. “We are constantly trying to update the way we publish results.”

The Idaho Capital Sun will also publish and update election results and report on the next Idaho elections after the polls close at www.idahocapitalsun.com.