India, Nov. 4 -- Results from Tuesday's US midterm elections are coming in at different speeds across the country, and some states may take days or longer to finish counting, because each state makes its own rules for processing, counting and reporting ballots.

In the US, states and local officials run elections. India, by contrast, has a single national body, the Election Commission of India, that conducts its general elections.

The growing use of mail-in voting is one of the main reasons for delays. Unlike a vote cast in person, a mail-in ballot has to be taken out of its envelope, and the voter's signature checked, before it can be counted.

Some states let officials start this work before Election Day. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania do ...