Idaho and Wyoming Prepare for Election Night Vote Counts

Published October 30, 2026. Idaho and Wyoming voters will select officeholders for national, state-level and other posts on Election Day. Idaho polls close at 8 p.m. local time; Wyoming polls close at 7 p.m. local time. The ballots include U.S. Senate, governor and U.S. House races in both states, along with other statewide and legislative contests. Idaho also has statewide ballot measures; Wyoming has one statewide ballot measure.

In Idaho’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, about 591,000 votes were cast, and 32% were early or absentee ballots. In Wyoming’s 2022 governor’s race, about 183,000 votes were cast, with 36% early or absentee. Almost every Idaho county is likely to provide most or all early and absentee results in its initial update. About half are expected to report all in-person Election Day votes then. In Wyoming, about two-thirds of counties anticipate publishing complete results in their first updates, whatever the voting method. Laramie County expects to report at least half its in-person votes before releasing absentee results.

The 2024 vote count reached 90% reporting at 5:28 a.m. ET in Idaho and 1:30 a.m. ET in Wyoming. Idaho has no automatic recounts; candidates may request and pay for one. The state or county covers the cost if the margin is 0.1% or less of ballots tallied in the contest, or five ballots, whichever figure is higher. Wyoming recounts are automatic when the margin is less than 1% of votes cast for the leading candidate, and candidates may also request one.

Winners will be declared only when every possible result leaves the trailing candidate unable to pass the leader. A race may be called even if a recount or legal challenge could still alter the outcome, provided the leader’s advantage is sufficiently wide.