Ballotpedia:How we cover election lawsuits and recounts
Most elections conclude on election night as votes are tallied and a winner declared. However, the story is not as simple in some elections, whether because a recount was called, or because a lawsuit was filed challenging the results reported on election night.
Ballotpedia's policy is to continue coverage of the aftermath of elections within our coverage scope when post-election developments indicate that the final winner could change from what was reported on election night. The degree to which each story is covered will vary based on Ballotpedia's editorial judgment.
For example, a congressional election in which no final results are certified due to allegations of election fraud would receive frequent and ongoing updates as the story unfolds. On the other hand, a recount in a school board election that does not change who the eventual winner is would merit a one-paragraph summary of events compiled after the fact.
Ballotpedia's standard practice is to capture these events in a dedicated "Aftermath" section that is added to election overview articles as necessary. In some cases, an aftermath section might also contain concrete examples of policy changes made possible by the election results. For instance, if a gubernatorial election resulted in a party gaining trifecta control of a state, any major pieces of legislation that the new governor signed would fit in the election's aftermath section.
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