Key Takeaways:
– The 2024 Presidential race individual Democratic and Republican candidates await the outcome.
– Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are ahead with 49% in New York Times national average poll.
– Polling stations across the United States close at different times, affecting when results can be announced.
– Depending on the state, polling stations will close between 7 p.m. ET to 1 a.m. ET.
It’s a matter of hours till some states in the US close their polling stations. The entire nation holds its breath, eager to know who will be the next President and Vice President of the United States. Pitted against each other in a tight race are Democratic duo, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, up against Republican contenders, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. The results lie in the hands of the electoral college majority. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz currently lead with 49%, closely trailed by Trump-Vance at 48% as recorded on November 5, 2024.
The Crucial Countdown to Result Declaration
Even though it would be ideal to have the winner announced instantly, the counting of votes is an elaborate process. It requires meticulous assessment to ensure accuracy. Therefore, a candidate may emerge victorious tonight itself, or the final count may stretch across a few days.
Election Day concludes on November 5, marking the official end of voting. Afterward, the votes are tallied to confirm the new Presidential and Vice Presidential office bearers, who will be moving into the White House.
Understanding the Polling Station Closing Times
The closing times of polling stations are state-dependent. To assist in understanding the schedule, here is a brief outline of station closing times across different states:
At 7 p.m. Eastern Time, the polls in Georgia, Eastern Indiana, Eastern Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia will close. Voting closes at 7:30 p.m. in North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia.
An hour later, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, polling stations in sixteen states will close—Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Eastern Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Tennessee.
By 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, only Arkansas will conclude its voting. Later at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, fourteen more states will shut their polling stations— Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, most of Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, most of Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
At 10 p.m. Eastern Time, Montana, Nevada, and Utah will close, followed by California, Southern Idaho, Malheur County in Oregon, and Washington at 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Hawaii closes at midnight Eastern Time, and eventually, Alaska will be the final state to close — except for Adak at 1 a.m. Eastern Time.
Stay tuned to find out which candidate will rise victorious after this closely battled, nail-biting Presidential race 2024. The world awaits the announcement of the next leaders of the United States as the polling concludes, and the counting commences.