The 2008 election season draws to a close in West Virginia as county commissions across the state begin the vote canvas.

Commissioners are required by law to review the votes, count absentee ballots and resolve questions surrounding provisional ballots.

This year, more than 13,000 absentee ballots were requested and the secretary of state's office says some of those were counted in last week's election.

Only those ballots postmarked by November 4 and received before Monday's canvas will be counted.

The office says historically, a little more than one percent of the ballots cast on Election Day are provisional pending review. On average, about 64 percent are then counted during the canvas.

The canvas is necessary to certify the election results.