When will we know who won the US elections?
Election results are sometimes declared late on election night or the following morning. This time, the close race in several states may lead to a delay before media outlets can predict a winner. Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump have been in a tight race.
In some states, recounts could be required. For instance, Pennsylvania mandates a recount if the margin is within 0.5%. In 2020, it took until November 7, four days after Election Day, for networks to declare Joe Biden the winner, due to close margins and pending results from key states.
Possible Delays in Result Announcements
Legal challenges are likely, with over 100 lawsuits already filed, primarily by Republicans, covering voter eligibility and registration. Additional delays may arise from disruptions at polling stations.
In some areas, however, counting is faster. Michigan, for example, has improved its processing speed, and fewer mail-in ballots are expected compared to past elections.
Key Swing States to Watch
Polls start closing nationwide at 18:00 EST and finish at 01:00 EST. Key states to monitor include:
Georgia - Polls close at 7 p.m. ET, with about 75% of votes counted within two hours, and full results expected by night’s end.
North Carolina - Results should be in by the end of the night, barring any issues from recent hurricane impacts.
Pennsylvania - Polls close at 8 p.m. ET, but counting starts only on Election Day, likely delaying a winner announcement by at least 24 hours.
Michigan - Polls close at 9 p.m. ET, with results expected by late Wednesday.
Wisconsin - Expected results on Wednesday, though larger areas may take longer to count.
Arizona - Initial results around 10 p.m. ET, but full results aren’t expected until Wednesday morning.
Nevada - Mail-in ballots can be counted up to Nov. 9, possibly delaying final results.
In previous elections, results varied in timing, with some races called quickly and others taking days, as in 2000 when the Bush-Gore result was finalized.
