Within a few hours of the first polls closing at 6 p.m. Eastern time, results from most areas for the 2024 presidential election and other contests should be flooding in, but expect some states to count a lot faster than others.
Poll closing times vary from state to state, from county to county and, in some parts of the country, from town to town. (So, it’s good to check with your specific election authorities, as they may have different hours.) The earliest results in most states are reported by local voting precincts soon after polls close there. Every state also has different rules for how officials process and count ballots, and these rules determine how quickly results are released.
In 2020, an influx of mail-in and early ballots due to the pandemic caused major slowdowns in vote counting and reporting election results. It took four days for enough votes to be counted for the major decision desks to call the presidency for Joe Biden. Vote counting isn’t expected to be nearly as slow as it was last time around, but there’s a chance we won’t know the outcome of the presidential race – and possibly even control of Congress – on election night.
The Associated Press, which has one of the country’s largest vote-calling operations, has compiled state-by-state details on poll closing times, counting rules and expected timing based on patterns in previous elections. Here’s when polls close in every state and how long vote counting might take:
Alabama
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (nine electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Alabama doesn’t offer early in-person voting. It also is one of the few states that still requires an excuse to vote by mail. As a result, nearly all Alabama voters cast their ballots in person on Election Day. In recent elections, the state has reported more than 80 percent of its votes between poll close and midnight on Election Day.
Alaska
Polls open: 11 a.m./noon Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – Alaska covers two time zones).
Polls close: Midnight/1 a.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Measure 1 (raises the minimum wage and requires paid sick leave).
- Measure 2 (repeals open primaries and ranked-choice voting).
How long does counting usually take? The votes released on election night are technically voters’ first-choice candidates under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. If no candidate surpasses 50 percent of the vote, the state eliminates the candidate with the fewest votes on election night from contention. Voters whose first choices were eliminated will have their votes redistributed to their second-choice candidates. That process continues until a candidate surpasses a majority of the vote. The state Division of Elections says the results of the ranked-choice voting process will be released on Nov. 20. In 2020, about 44 percent of votes cast were reported by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Arizona
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
-President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (two key races).
- Proposition 133 (requires partisan primaries).
- Proposition 137 (ends term limits for judges).
- Proposition 138 (allows tipped workers to be paid 25 percent below minimum wage).
- Proposition 139 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Proposition 140 (eliminates partisan primaries).
- Proposition 314 (allows police to arrest immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally).
How long does counting usually take? Arizona’s lengthy two-page ballot could delay vote counting by 10 to 13 days due to slower processing, increased manual tabulation and new early-ballot handling requirements. In Arizona, ballots cast and processed before Election Day are the first to be reported after polls close. Mail ballots that are delivered on Election Day take much longer to tabulate because election workers do not begin processing or verifying them until after polls close. In Maricopa County, which has the state’s largest population, about 20 percent of the nearly 1.6 million votes cast in 2022 were mail ballots dropped off on Election Day. Arizona does not release votes until all precincts have reported or one hour after all polls are closed, whichever is first, usually 10 p.m. Eastern time. In 2020, about 72 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Arkansas
Polls open: 8:30 a.m. Eastern time (7:30 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8:30 p.m. Eastern time (7:30 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? The vast majority of votes in this solid red state are counted on election night. The early-vote ballots are usually the first to be reported because they are counted as they arrive at each county office in the weeks leading up to the election, so a large chunk of results will be reported immediately after polls close. In 2020, about 79 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
California
Polls open: 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (54 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (seven races to watch).
- Proposition 3 (repeals same-sex marriage ban).
- Proposition 32 (raises the minimum wage).
- Proposition 33 (repeals ban on local rent controls).
- Proposition 36 (increases penalties for certain theft and drug crimes).
How long does counting usually take? California is solidly blue for presidential elections, but it is likely to take days and possibly weeks to know who won some competitive congressional districts, due to how slowly California counts votes. The extended process begins with a large initial reporting of votes, which reflects ballots that were cast in advance of Election Day. In 2020, about 54 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Colorado
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Amendment 79 (right to abortion).
- Proposition 131 (top-four ranked-choice voting).
- Amendment J (repeal state same-sex marriage ban).
How long does counting usually take? Colorado is a vote-by-mail state, but results flow in fairly quickly after polls close since ballots are tabulated as soon as they are received in advance of Election Day. In 2020, about 86 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Connecticut
Polls open: 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (seven electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? In the past, Connecticut did not allow early voting, so nearly all ballots were cast and counted on Election Day. This made the reporting process slower – in 2020, the state was still counting its votes nearly two days after Election Day. Connecticut is newly using early voting for a presidential election this year.
Delaware
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
How long does counting usually take? Delaware has a small voting population and counts very quickly. In 2020, about 99 percent of votes had been counted by midnight.
District of Columbia
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- Initiative 83 (establish ranked-choice voting and semi-open primary elections).
How long does counting usually take? Following the coronavirus pandemic, voters in the nation’s capital, a heavily Democratic city, cast their ballots primarily by mail. Final counts will take some time, as ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they arrive by Nov. 11. In 2020, about 55 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Florida
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – Florida covers two time zones).
Polls close: 7 p.m./8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (30 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment 3 (legalize recreational marijuana).
- Amendment 4 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Florida counts votes faster than most states. In 2020, 90 percent of votes had been counted by 9 p.m. Eastern time. Early and mail voting is very popular here – in 2020, 83 percent of votes cast were from early or absentee ballots – and most counties report those votes first.
Georgia
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (16 electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Georgia state law allows county election officials to begin tabulating mail ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day. As a result, the first votes reported on election night will include much of these mail ballots as well as early in-person votes. Overall, these ballots have tended to favor Democrats, ever since the issue of early and mail voting became highly politicized during the 2020 election. This suggests that the Democratic candidate in a competitive contest could take an early lead in the vote count in the initial vote reports after polls close, even though the race may tighten considerably as more votes are tabulated. Georgia counts its ballots fairly quickly: In 2020, about 77 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Hawaii
Polls open: Noon Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: Midnight Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
U.S. House.
- Amendment 1 (repeals same-sex marriage ban).
How long does counting usually take? Elections in Hawaii are conducted predominantly by mail, after the state instituted the practice in 2019. In 2020, about 95 percent of total votes cast were reported by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Idaho
Polls open: Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality (7 a.m. or 8 a.m. local time – nine counties are fully on Pacific time).
Polls close: 10 p.m./11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Constitutional Amendment H.J.R. (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
- Proposition 1 (requires open primaries and ranked-choice voting).
How long does counting usually take? In Idaho, mail ballots must be returned by Election Day. Roughly half the counties report vote returns in a single complete . In 2020, around half of the state’s votes had been reported within an hour of polls closing, and it took only seven hours to get to 100 percent counted.
Illinois
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (19 electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Advisory Question 1 (seeks voter opinion on penalties for election interference).
- Advisory Question 3 (seeks voter opinion on insurance of in vitro fertilization).
How long does counting usually take? Early and absentee voting have grown in popularity here over the past few elections, which has slowed the vote count process a little. In 2020, about 74 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Indiana
Polls open: 6 a.m./7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time – 12 Indiana counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 6 p.m./7 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
How long does counting usually take? Most polls in the state close at 6 p.m. Eastern time – the earliest closing time in the country. In 2020, about 77 percent of votes were counted by midnight Eastern time.
Iowa
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House (two races to watch).
- Amendment 1 (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
How long does counting usually take? Ballots are counted and released quickly in Iowa. In 2020, about 82 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Kansas
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time, though it varies by county (between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time in the Central time zone and between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the Mountain time zone).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 87 percent of votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Kentucky
Polls open: 6 a.m./7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time – 41 counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 6 p.m./7 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (eight electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment 1 (require citizenship to vote).
- Amendment 2 (allow state funding for nonpublic education).
How long does counting usually take? Counties begin tabulation of absentee ballots on the morning of Election Day, but no results may be released until after polls close. The state has two poll closing times, 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern time because the state straddles the Eastern and Central time zones, but overall polls close at 6 p.m. local time – the earliest in the nation. In Kentucky, many counties release vote returns in a single complete report. In 2020, about 98 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Louisiana
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (eight electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Most votes should be counted by late election night or early the next morning, but since Louisiana is a “jungle primary” state, some of the more competitive races could advance to a Dec. 10 runoff. The top candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the vote, plus one, to win outright. Votes for Democrats may be concentrated in the earliest and latest counts on election night. In 2020, about 88 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Maine
Polls open: Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes, two allocated by congressional district).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Question 1 (imposes campaign contribution limits).
How long does counting usually take? Maine is notoriously slow at counting votes because many of its small townships still count by hand. To complicate matters even more, the state’s congressional races use ranked-choice voting, and if no candidate has a definitive majority, final results won’t be released for about a week. In 2020, about 56 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Maryland
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House.
- Question 1: (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Historically, counting has been incredibly slow. In 2020, about 8 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. Democrats in the state passed a law last year to allow for pre-processing of ballots to speed up vote counting.
Massachusetts
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Question 4 (legalizes certain psychedelic substances).
- Question 5 (raises the minimum wage for tipped workers).
How long does counting usually take? Massachusetts polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern time and first votes come in quickly, but it often takes until after 11 p.m. to hit 50 percent. A small share of votes remain to be counted the day after Election Day. Mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 must be received by Nov. 8.
Michigan
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – four Michigan counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (15 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (three races to watch).
How long does counting usually take? A new law gives local election officials more time to process and tabulate absentee mail ballots, which should help alleviate the logjam that slowed ballot counting in the 2020 presidential election. In 2020, about 45 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. Michigan covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in the Upper Peninsula are casting ballots until 9 p.m. Eastern time. The AP will not call a winner before the last polls have closed at 9 p.m.
Minnesota
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? The first votes in Minnesota tend to be released shortly after polls close at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Historically, these initial batches of votes tend to include a mix of votes cast early in person, by mail and on Election Day at a polling place. In 2020, about 66 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time, and 100 percent of results were released within 24 hours of polls closing.
Mississippi
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 60 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. The state didn’t reach 100 percent reporting until about 8:30 a.m. that Thursday.
Missouri
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
- Amendment 3 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Amendment 7 (prohibits ranked-choice voting and noncitizen voting).
- Proposition A (raises the minimum wage and requires paid sick leave).
How long does counting usually take? The state can start counting absentee ballots five days before Election Day, and nearly all absentee votes are released in the first batch of results after polls close. In 2020, about 68 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Montana
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 10 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
- Constitutional Amendment 126 (requires open primaries with multiple candidates advancing).
- Constitutional Amendment 127 (requires majority vote to win elections).
- Constitutional Amendment 128 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Montana technically isn’t one of the states that conducts its elections predominantly by mail, but quite a few Montanans choose to vote that way regardless. State law allows elections officials to start processing and verifying mail ballots up to three days before Election Day. Machine counting of mail ballots may begin the day before Election Day. In the 2020 U.S. Senate race, about 76 percent of the vote had been tabulated by 2 a.m. Eastern time and 89 percent by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Within a few hours of the first polls closing at 6 p.m. Eastern time, results from most areas for the 2024 presidential election and other contests should be flooding in, but expect some states to count a lot faster than others.
Poll closing times vary from state to state, from county to county and, in some parts of the country, from town to town. (So, it’s good to check with your specific election authorities, as they may have different hours.) The earliest results in most states are reported by local voting precincts soon after polls close there. Every state also has different rules for how officials process and count ballots, and these rules determine how quickly results are released.
In 2020, an influx of mail-in and early ballots due to the pandemic caused major slowdowns in vote counting and reporting election results. It took four days for enough votes to be counted for the major decision desks to call the presidency for Joe Biden. Vote counting isn’t expected to be nearly as slow as it was last time around, but there’s a chance we won’t know the outcome of the presidential race – and possibly even control of Congress – on election night.
The Associated Press, which has one of the country’s largest vote-calling operations, has compiled state-by-state details on poll closing times, counting rules and expected timing based on patterns in previous elections. Here’s when polls close in every state and how long vote counting might take:
Alabama
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (nine electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Alabama doesn’t offer early in-person voting. It also is one of the few states that still requires an excuse to vote by mail. As a result, nearly all Alabama voters cast their ballots in person on Election Day. In recent elections, the state has reported more than 80 percent of its votes between poll close and midnight on Election Day.
Alaska
Polls open: 11 a.m./noon Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – Alaska covers two time zones).
Polls close: Midnight/1 a.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Measure 1 (raises the minimum wage and requires paid sick leave).
- Measure 2 (repeals open primaries and ranked-choice voting).
How long does counting usually take? The votes released on election night are technically voters’ first-choice candidates under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. If no candidate surpasses 50 percent of the vote, the state eliminates the candidate with the fewest votes on election night from contention. Voters whose first choices were eliminated will have their votes redistributed to their second-choice candidates. That process continues until a candidate surpasses a majority of the vote. The state Division of Elections says the results of the ranked-choice voting process will be released on Nov. 20. In 2020, about 44 percent of votes cast were reported by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Arizona
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
-President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (two key races).
- Proposition 133 (requires partisan primaries).
- Proposition 137 (ends term limits for judges).
- Proposition 138 (allows tipped workers to be paid 25 percent below minimum wage).
- Proposition 139 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Proposition 140 (eliminates partisan primaries).
- Proposition 314 (allows police to arrest immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally).
How long does counting usually take? Arizona’s lengthy two-page ballot could delay vote counting by 10 to 13 days due to slower processing, increased manual tabulation and new early-ballot handling requirements. In Arizona, ballots cast and processed before Election Day are the first to be reported after polls close. Mail ballots that are delivered on Election Day take much longer to tabulate because election workers do not begin processing or verifying them until after polls close. In Maricopa County, which has the state’s largest population, about 20 percent of the nearly 1.6 million votes cast in 2022 were mail ballots dropped off on Election Day. Arizona does not release votes until all precincts have reported or one hour after all polls are closed, whichever is first, usually 10 p.m. Eastern time. In 2020, about 72 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Arkansas
Polls open: 8:30 a.m. Eastern time (7:30 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8:30 p.m. Eastern time (7:30 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? The vast majority of votes in this solid red state are counted on election night. The early-vote ballots are usually the first to be reported because they are counted as they arrive at each county office in the weeks leading up to the election, so a large chunk of results will be reported immediately after polls close. In 2020, about 79 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
California
Polls open: 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (54 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (seven races to watch).
- Proposition 3 (repeals same-sex marriage ban).
- Proposition 32 (raises the minimum wage).
- Proposition 33 (repeals ban on local rent controls).
- Proposition 36 (increases penalties for certain theft and drug crimes).
How long does counting usually take? California is solidly blue for presidential elections, but it is likely to take days and possibly weeks to know who won some competitive congressional districts, due to how slowly California counts votes. The extended process begins with a large initial reporting of votes, which reflects ballots that were cast in advance of Election Day. In 2020, about 54 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Colorado
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Amendment 79 (right to abortion).
- Proposition 131 (top-four ranked-choice voting).
- Amendment J (repeal state same-sex marriage ban).
How long does counting usually take? Colorado is a vote-by-mail state, but results flow in fairly quickly after polls close since ballots are tabulated as soon as they are received in advance of Election Day. In 2020, about 86 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Connecticut
Polls open: 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (seven electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? In the past, Connecticut did not allow early voting, so nearly all ballots were cast and counted on Election Day. This made the reporting process slower – in 2020, the state was still counting its votes nearly two days after Election Day. Connecticut is newly using early voting for a presidential election this year.
Delaware
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
How long does counting usually take? Delaware has a small voting population and counts very quickly. In 2020, about 99 percent of votes had been counted by midnight.
District of Columbia
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- Initiative 83 (establish ranked-choice voting and semi-open primary elections).
How long does counting usually take? Following the coronavirus pandemic, voters in the nation’s capital, a heavily Democratic city, cast their ballots primarily by mail. Final counts will take some time, as ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they arrive by Nov. 11. In 2020, about 55 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Florida
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – Florida covers two time zones).
Polls close: 7 p.m./8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (30 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment 3 (legalize recreational marijuana).
- Amendment 4 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Florida counts votes faster than most states. In 2020, 90 percent of votes had been counted by 9 p.m. Eastern time. Early and mail voting is very popular here – in 2020, 83 percent of votes cast were from early or absentee ballots – and most counties report those votes first.
Georgia
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (16 electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Georgia state law allows county election officials to begin tabulating mail ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day. As a result, the first votes reported on election night will include much of these mail ballots as well as early in-person votes. Overall, these ballots have tended to favor Democrats, ever since the issue of early and mail voting became highly politicized during the 2020 election. This suggests that the Democratic candidate in a competitive contest could take an early lead in the vote count in the initial vote reports after polls close, even though the race may tighten considerably as more votes are tabulated. Georgia counts its ballots fairly quickly: In 2020, about 77 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Hawaii
Polls open: Noon Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: Midnight Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
U.S. House.
- Amendment 1 (repeals same-sex marriage ban).
How long does counting usually take? Elections in Hawaii are conducted predominantly by mail, after the state instituted the practice in 2019. In 2020, about 95 percent of total votes cast were reported by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Idaho
Polls open: Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality (7 a.m. or 8 a.m. local time – nine counties are fully on Pacific time).
Polls close: 10 p.m./11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Constitutional Amendment H.J.R. (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
- Proposition 1 (requires open primaries and ranked-choice voting).
How long does counting usually take? In Idaho, mail ballots must be returned by Election Day. Roughly half the counties report vote returns in a single complete . In 2020, around half of the state’s votes had been reported within an hour of polls closing, and it took only seven hours to get to 100 percent counted.
Illinois
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (19 electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Advisory Question 1 (seeks voter opinion on penalties for election interference).
- Advisory Question 3 (seeks voter opinion on insurance of in vitro fertilization).
How long does counting usually take? Early and absentee voting have grown in popularity here over the past few elections, which has slowed the vote count process a little. In 2020, about 74 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Indiana
Polls open: 6 a.m./7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time – 12 Indiana counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 6 p.m./7 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
How long does counting usually take? Most polls in the state close at 6 p.m. Eastern time – the earliest closing time in the country. In 2020, about 77 percent of votes were counted by midnight Eastern time.
Iowa
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House (two races to watch).
- Amendment 1 (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
How long does counting usually take? Ballots are counted and released quickly in Iowa. In 2020, about 82 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Kansas
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time, though it varies by county (between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time in the Central time zone and between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the Mountain time zone).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 87 percent of votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Kentucky
Polls open: 6 a.m./7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time – 41 counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 6 p.m./7 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (eight electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment 1 (require citizenship to vote).
- Amendment 2 (allow state funding for nonpublic education).
How long does counting usually take? Counties begin tabulation of absentee ballots on the morning of Election Day, but no results may be released until after polls close. The state has two poll closing times, 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern time because the state straddles the Eastern and Central time zones, but overall polls close at 6 p.m. local time – the earliest in the nation. In Kentucky, many counties release vote returns in a single complete report. In 2020, about 98 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Louisiana
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (eight electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Most votes should be counted by late election night or early the next morning, but since Louisiana is a “jungle primary” state, some of the more competitive races could advance to a Dec. 10 runoff. The top candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the vote, plus one, to win outright. Votes for Democrats may be concentrated in the earliest and latest counts on election night. In 2020, about 88 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Maine
Polls open: Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes, two allocated by congressional district).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Question 1 (imposes campaign contribution limits).
How long does counting usually take? Maine is notoriously slow at counting votes because many of its small townships still count by hand. To complicate matters even more, the state’s congressional races use ranked-choice voting, and if no candidate has a definitive majority, final results won’t be released for about a week. In 2020, about 56 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Maryland
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House.
- Question 1: (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Historically, counting has been incredibly slow. In 2020, about 8 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. Democrats in the state passed a law last year to allow for pre-processing of ballots to speed up vote counting.
Massachusetts
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Question 4 (legalizes certain psychedelic substances).
- Question 5 (raises the minimum wage for tipped workers).
How long does counting usually take? Massachusetts polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern time and first votes come in quickly, but it often takes until after 11 p.m. to hit 50 percent. A small share of votes remain to be counted the day after Election Day. Mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 must be received by Nov. 8.
Michigan
Polls open: 7 a.m./8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – four Michigan counties are on Central time).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (15 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (three races to watch).
How long does counting usually take? A new law gives local election officials more time to process and tabulate absentee mail ballots, which should help alleviate the logjam that slowed ballot counting in the 2020 presidential election. In 2020, about 45 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. Michigan covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in the Upper Peninsula are casting ballots until 9 p.m. Eastern time. The AP will not call a winner before the last polls have closed at 9 p.m.
Minnesota
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? The first votes in Minnesota tend to be released shortly after polls close at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Historically, these initial batches of votes tend to include a mix of votes cast early in person, by mail and on Election Day at a polling place. In 2020, about 66 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time, and 100 percent of results were released within 24 hours of polls closing.
Mississippi
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 60 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. The state didn’t reach 100 percent reporting until about 8:30 a.m. that Thursday.
Missouri
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
- Amendment 3 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Amendment 7 (prohibits ranked-choice voting and noncitizen voting).
- Proposition A (raises the minimum wage and requires paid sick leave).
How long does counting usually take? The state can start counting absentee ballots five days before Election Day, and nearly all absentee votes are released in the first batch of results after polls close. In 2020, about 68 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Montana
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 10 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
- Constitutional Amendment 126 (requires open primaries with multiple candidates advancing).
- Constitutional Amendment 127 (requires majority vote to win elections).
- Constitutional Amendment 128 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Montana technically isn’t one of the states that conducts its elections predominantly by mail, but quite a few Montanans choose to vote that way regardless. State law allows elections officials to start processing and verifying mail ballots up to three days before Election Day. Machine counting of mail ballots may begin the day before Election Day. In the 2020 U.S. Senate race, about 76 percent of the vote had been tabulated by 2 a.m. Eastern time and 89 percent by 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Nebraska
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m./8 a.m. local time – 19 counties are on Mountain time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m./8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (five electoral votes, three allocated by congressional district).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. Senate (special election).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Initiative 434 (limits abortion after the first trimester).
- Initiative 437 (legalizes medical marijuana).
- Initiative 439 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
How long does counting usually take? Historically, most Nebraska counties finish tallying votes on election night. In 2020, about 71 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Nevada
Polls open: 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 10 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Question 3 (requires open primaries and ranked-choice voting in general elections).
- Question 6 (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Question 7 (requires photo identification to vote in person, along with extra verification for mail ballots).
How long does counting usually take? In 2021, Nevada adopted a law requiring mail-in ballots to be automatically sent to active voters, making permanent an emergency measure implemented during the coronavirus pandemic. In the midterm elections the following year, about 80 percent of voters cast their ballots in person before Election Day or by mail. Mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they are received by Nov. 9, four days after Election Day. With a large number of mail ballots potentially arriving after Election Day, the outcome of some highly competitive races might not be determined until these additional mail ballots are received and tabulated. The state does not release any vote results until the final voter in line has cast a ballot, which could be well after the time polls formally close. In 2020, about 79 percent of total votes cast were reported by 6 a.m. the day after Election Day.
New Hampshire
Polls open: It varies by municipality. Most open between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eastern time. One municipality (Dixville) opens at midnight.
Polls close: Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality.
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
How long does counting usually take? Vote counting has been slower here in the past few election cycles, especially in more populated cities like Nashua and Manchester. New Hampshire reports its vote at the township or ward level, not by county, and it counts the vast majority of its votes on election night. Each town or ward usually releases all of its results in a single . Historically, fewer than 1 in 10 ballots in New Hampshire are cast before Election Day, as the state requires an excuse to vote absentee. In 2020, about 63 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
New Jersey
Polls open: 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (14 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? Early in-person voting was only recently enacted in New Jersey. Early in-person and mail ballots accounted for 30 percent of the vote in 2022. The first vote counts released on election night are expected to be a combination of those advance votes. Votes uncounted on election night can average 5 to 6 percent, higher in Cumberland and Bergen counties.
New Mexico
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (five electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? More than 60 percent of New Mexicans typically vote before Election Day. A 2023 law requires counties to post early and absentee results no later than 11 p.m. Eastern time. In 2020, about 78 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
New York
Polls open: 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (28 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (five races to watch).
- Proposal 1 (expands civil rights protections, including reproductive rights).
How long does counting usually take? A huge chunk of votes will be reported on election night – in 2020, 90 percent of votes were counted by 12:28 a.m. Eastern time. The last 10 percent were counted much more slowly, and the state took nine days to reach full reporting.
North Carolina
Polls open: 6:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (16 electoral votes).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
How long does counting usually take? North Carolina has a track record of counting votes relatively quickly, leaving only about 1 percent of the vote uncounted after election night. This year, the count could be slowed in some areas due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. State election officials approved emergency measures in nearly 30 western counties and tribal areas giving voters additional options for turning in their absentee ballots.
North Dakota
Polls open: Between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality (between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time – eight counties and portions of three others are on Mountain time).
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 92 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Ohio
Polls open: 6:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (17 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (two races to watch).
How long does counting usually take? Ohio routinely counts a little more than 2 percent of votes in the days after Election Day, which should only delay race calls in the closest races. Most late-counted votes in both elections were provisional ballots.
Oklahoma
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (seven electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Question 834 (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 98 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Oregon
Polls open: 9 a.m./10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – Malheur County is on Mountain time).
Polls close: 10 p.m./11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (eight electoral votes)
- U.S. House (two races to watch)
- Measure 117 (authorizes ranked-choice voting)
How long does counting usually take? Oregon’s first reports typically focus on votes cast before Election Day, as the state primarily uses mail-in ballots. Oregon allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive up to seven days later. This means initial results can shift as later ballots are processed. In 2020, it took until about 2 p.m. Friday, three days after Election Day, for 90 percent of ballots to be counted.
Pennsylvania
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (19 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (four races to watch).
How long does counting usually take? Several factors contribute to a relatively slow vote-counting process in Pennsylvania. Under Pennsylvania law, election officials must wait until 7 a.m. on Election Day before they can begin to process ballots cast by mail and prepare them to be counted. The actual tabulation of mail ballots cannot begin until after polls have closed. Because of the overall volume of mail ballots – they comprised almost a quarter of the total vote in the 2022 midterm elections – and the varying amounts of time it takes the state’s 67 counties to tally these votes, determining a winner in a highly competitive race could take several days, as it did in the 2020 presidential election. In 2020, about 54 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Rhode Island
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time. One municipality (New Shoreham) opens at 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Polls close in Rhode Island at 8 p.m. Absentee ballots can begin to be processed 20 days before the general election. In 2022, close to 30 percent of Rhode Island’s votes were advance ballots. Votes cast on Election Day are reported first, and mail and early in-person votes are reported later in the night. More than 98 percent of the vote was counted on election night two years ago.
South Carolina
Polls open: 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (nine electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment 1 (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
How long does counting usually take? The state is generally able to wrap up its elections in one night. In general elections since 2014, South Carolina has added no more than about 5 percent of its vote after Election Day.
South Dakota
Polls open: 8 a.m./9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – 17 counties are in Mountain time).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. House.
- Amendment E (inserts gender-neutral wording into the state constitution).
- Amendment F (allows work requirements for some Medicaid recipients).
- Amendment G (creates a constitutional right to abortion).
- Amendment H (requires open primaries).
- Measure 29 (legalizes recreational marijuana).
How long does counting usually take? Not long in South Dakota. The state can’t release results until all polls have closed, but it has a history of getting its ballots counted within four or five hours of final close time, even though some results are not fully complete until the next day.
Tennessee
Polls open: Between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality (between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m./8 p.m. local time – 30 Tennessee counties are on Eastern time).
Notable races:
- President (11 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? In 2020, about 98 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Texas
Polls open: 8 a.m./9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time – two counties are fully on Mountain time).
Polls close: 8 p.m./9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (40 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
How long does counting usually take? Most of the votes are typically counted within four to five hours of polls closing statewide, with remaining votes verified over the following days. Unless a race is too close to call, most winners are determined by 2 a.m. Eastern time. In fact, in the 2020 general election, more than half of all votes counted were released within 75 minutes of polls closing statewide. Texas can count quickly because so much of the state votes early, and counties with 100,000 people or more are allowed to start tallying early votes once the early voting period ends – this year that’s Nov. 1 – which gives them a head start. Counties with fewer than 100,000 can start counting when polls open on Election Day, but with the smaller populations, many still manage to count all early votes by the time polls close. In 2020, about 91 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Utah
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 10 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (six electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
How long does counting usually take? Utah’s elections are conducted predominantly by mail, and all registered voters are sent absentee ballots, which can be returned to a drop box or by mail. Mailed votes must be postmarked by Nov. 4, the day before Election Day. Utah tallies advance ballots before Election Day. Utah counted a third of its votes after Election Day in 2022, and those additional ballots favored Democrats by four percentage points. That was a substantial change from recent prior elections, when the shift expanded the margin of victory for Republicans by a half to almost a full percentage point.
Vermont
Polls open: Between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern time, depending on municipality.
Polls close: 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
How long does counting usually take? There are more than 200 towns and cities in the state. Like most of New England, Vermont releases its election votes at this level, which could slow down counting. In 2020, about 94 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. If no gubernatorial candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the race goes to the state legislature to decide.
Virginia
Polls open: 6 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (13 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (two races to watch).
How long does counting usually take? Virginia counts votes quicker than many other states. In 2020, about 71 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time. Only 3 percent of votes were counted after noon on the Wednesday following Election Day.
Washington
Polls open: Between 10 a.m. and noon Eastern time, depending on municipality (between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 11 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (12 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Governor.
- Lieutenant governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
How long does counting usually take? Washington votes predominantly by mail. Ballots are mailed to voters at least 45 days before Election Day. Mail ballots are not counted until polls close on election night. In 2020, about 81 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time, but totals did not reach 100 percent until more than a week later. Mail ballots can be postmarked by Election Day.
West Virginia
Polls open: 6:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Polls close: 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Notable races:
- President (four electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- Governor.
- Attorney general.
- Secretary of state.
How long does counting usually take? West Virginia counts votes quicker than many other states. In 2020, about 96 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Wisconsin
Polls open: 8 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (8 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (10 electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate (race to watch).
- U.S. House (one race to watch).
- Question 1 (prohibits noncitizens from voting).
How long does counting usually take? In Wisconsin, the first vote results reported on election night tend to be a mix of ballots cast on Election Day and in advance. State law does not allow for absentee ballots to be processed before 7 a.m. on Election Day. In the April presidential primaries, more than a third of counties reported most or all of their vote results in their first vote report of the night – including in-person Election Day votes as well as mail-in and early votes. But larger counties, including the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee and Dane, took much longer. Their first vote of the night included only a small share of the total votes cast. In a close race, that is likely to mean waiting for final results in both places to know who has won the state. In 2020, about 70 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Wyoming
Polls open: 9 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. local time).
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. local time).
Notable races:
- President (three electoral votes).
- U.S. Senate.
- U.S. House.
How long does counting usually take? Wyoming has traditionally had all its counting done by early Wednesday morning. In 2020, about 62 percent of total votes cast were reported by midnight Eastern time.
Lauren Tierney and Ashlyn Still contributed to this report.
