The actual counting of vote-by-mail ballots is identical to the counting of all other ballots, however the preparation for counting is different.

When the ballots first arrive in the Elections Office the signature on each envelope is checked to make sure that the person signing the envelope is the same person who is registered. After the signature is verified, the ballots (still in their envelopes) are sorted by precinct and put with others in the same precinct.

Seven days before Election Day, we begin processing the sorted ballots. First the outer envelope is removed from all the ballots from a precinct. The ballots are still in their secrecy envelopes to preserve the voters right to secrecy. Then the ballots are removed from their secrecy envelopes and put with other vote-by-mail ballots from the same precinct in voted ballot boxes that are sealed until Election Day.

The first votes that are announced on election night are the totals of the vote-by-mail votes returned prior to Election Day.

The vote-by-mail ballots returned to the polling places on Election Day still need to be processed and in addition, these need to be checked to ensure that the voter did not also vote at any polling place.

These votes are tallied and the totals reported when everything has been checked. This process is usually finished several weeks after the election.