**Ohio’s Early Processing Allows for Swift Election Night Results**

As Americans brace for potentially delayed presidential race results, Ohioans can anticipate timely updates on where their state stands. Unlike key battleground states such as Wisconsin, Ohio permits county boards of elections to process absentee and early votes ahead of time, expediting the evening's tally.

Ohio's election rules allow absentee ballots to be scanned starting from October 8, coinciding with the first day of in-person voting. However, these ballots will only be counted following the closure of polls at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. According to directives from Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the initial batch of absentee results is expected to be uploaded by 8 p.m.

For those eager to track results, Ohioans can access the unofficial counts on local newspaper websites post-poll closure. Depending on the county, local election boards are mandated to refresh their results every thirty minutes or hourly until all precincts report.

Not all ballots will be counted on election night. Election officials will continue to tally outstanding absentee and provisional ballots received by November 9. It's crucial that absentee ballots mailed to election boards are postmarked no later than the Monday preceding Election Day.

The results shared initially are deemed unofficial. The boards of elections have until November 11 to start their official canvass, with a deadline to submit certified results to LaRose’s office by 2 p.m. on November 20. This ensures a formal and verified conclusion to the counting process.