When the polls close on December 13, the most important part of the election is not over. The ballots still have to be counted, the results recorded, the procès-verbaux transmitted, and the figures verified before the CEP publishes official results. Understanding those steps makes the days between election night and the first official results much easier to follow — and much harder for rumors to fill with misinformation.
In short
Counting begins after voting closes at the polling bureau, in the presence of the people authorized to observe the process, including party mandataires and accredited observers. The results are recorded in a procès-verbal (PV), the official record of the bureau's count. The electoral results and materials are then transmitted through the procedures established by the electoral framework, including electronic transmission and the physical transport of electoral documents. The CEP subsequently carries out the tabulation and verification process before publishing preliminary results — scheduled for December 19, 2026 for the first round. The days between voting and preliminary results are therefore part of the verification process, not an unexplained delay.
Step 1 — The votes are counted at the bureau
When voting closes, the electoral bureau proceeds with the counting of the ballots in accordance with the procedures established by the electoral decree (arts. 45, 246.1). Party mandataires and accredited observers can be present to observe the operation. The ballots are examined according to the legal rules governing validity (arts. 237.1, 242.1). Ballots that do not meet those requirements are treated as invalid according to the applicable rules and recorded accordingly.
The objective is straightforward: determine the number of valid votes received by each candidate or list, as well as the number of invalid ballots and other figures required by the official record.
Step 2 — The procès-verbal records the result
Once the count is completed, the bureau's figures are recorded in a procès-verbal (PV). The PV is the official documentary record of what happened at that bureau: the votes obtained by the candidates or lists, the number of invalid ballots, participation figures, and other information required by the electoral procedure.
This document is fundamental because the national result is built from the results recorded at individual polling bureaus. A national total does not simply appear on election night; it is assembled from these bureau-level records through the official tabulation process.
Step 3 — The results and electoral materials are transmitted
The electoral framework provides for the transmission of voting information and the movement of electoral materials through established procedures (arts. 37–39). Electronic transmission allows results information to move quickly, while the physical transmission of electoral documents provides the documentary record needed for verification.
That distinction matters. A number transmitted electronically is not, by itself, the final legal result. The official process also relies on the underlying electoral documents and the verification procedures established by the CEP.
Step 4 — Tabulation and verification
After the bureau-level counts, the CEP's tabulation process brings the individual results together. The submitted procès-verbaux and accompanying information are examined according to the applicable procedures, and irregularities or discrepancies can be handled through the mechanisms provided by the electoral framework.
This is why the first official national results do not necessarily appear immediately after the polls close. The period between December 13 and December 19 is part of the process through which bureau-level results are received, compiled and verified before preliminary results are published.
Why election-night numbers are not official results
You may hear numbers on radio, television, social media or messaging apps shortly after the polls close. Those figures can come from political parties, observers, journalists, projections or partial counts. They may be useful information, but they are not the same thing as official results published by the CEP.
The distinction is important: an early projection can suggest that one candidate is leading, while the official result requires completion of the electoral process and the CEP's publication of the applicable results.
What the procès-verbal makes possible
The PV creates a documentary trail between what happened at an individual polling bureau and the figures that eventually appear in the national tabulation. That trail is also important if a result is later contested. A serious challenge can identify the bureau concerned, the relevant PV, the alleged irregularity and the evidence supporting the claim.
This is why the counting process is more than simply adding ballots. It creates the records that allow the election to be checked afterward.
What it changes in your daily life
When the polls close on December 13, the election does not suddenly become a single number. Your ballot is counted at a bureau, the result is recorded, the electoral information and documents move through the official system, and the CEP verifies and tabulates the results before publishing them.
So when someone announces a definitive winner immediately after the polls close, remember the distinction: an early number is not necessarily an official result. The official process still has to run its course.