Washington, Nov 5: As the United States prepares for another high-stakes presidential election on November 5, 2024, uncertainty surrounds when Americans will know the winner. With some states implementing new election laws to expedite vote counting, the process may be faster than in 2020, yet it’s unlikely that a clear winner will emerge on election night itself. Here’s a look at when polls open and close, how votes will be counted, and the factors that may delay results in critical battleground states.

Polling Hours Across the Nation

On Election Day, November 5, voting times vary significantly across the country. Most states will begin voting at 7 a.m. local time, although some states open as early as 5 a.m. or as late as 10 a.m. Polls will also close at different times; Indiana and Kentucky, for example, will close polls as early as 6 p.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m. GMT), while Hawaii and Alaska will close at midnight Eastern Time (5 a.m. GMT).

Early results may start to emerge between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time (midnight to 1 a.m. GMT), when polls close in key battleground states like Georgia and North Carolina. Should Kamala Harris secure a victory in one of these states, it could signal a favorable trend for her campaign. By 8-9 p.m. Eastern Time, voting will end in critical “blue wall” states – Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – but these states may take longer to report results.

Counting Votes and Potential Delays

Some battleground states have made changes to streamline vote counting since 2020. Michigan and Nevada, for instance, now allow early ballot processing before Election Day. However, other states could still experience delays. Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes, is particularly crucial for both parties, but the state does not permit mail-in ballots to be processed until Election Day, likely extending the counting process by more than a day.

In North Carolina, vote processing has been complicated by Hurricane Helene, which damaged infrastructure, potentially causing delays. Wisconsin, too, may face slower counts in its major urban counties, Milwaukee and Dane, which together represent around 1.5 million people. The outcomes in these counties will be significant for the statewide result, and any counting delays could impact the timeline for declaring a winner.

Risks of Disruptions and Efforts to Challenge Results

The potential for disruptions remains, as political maneuvers could delay certification of results in some states. In 2020, a large number of Republicans in Congress challenged the results in Pennsylvania and Arizona, and in some states, groups attempted to declare Donald Trump the winner by falsely acting as members of the electoral college.

According to Norman Eisen, Samara Angel, and Clare Boone from the Brookings Institution, such tactics could be used again in 2024. In Georgia, for example, three election board members who have previously denied the validity of elections—Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston, and Janelle King—have introduced rules that allow vote certification to be paused if “irregularities” are alleged. This could create confusion, delay results, and potentially erode public trust.

When Will the Winner Be Known?

While some states may be able to count ballots more quickly than in previous elections, significant delays are still expected, especially in swing states with strict vote-counting procedures. Given these complexities and polling that shows a tight race, it’s unlikely that the winner will be declared on Election Day itself. Instead, Americans may need to wait several days, just as they did in 2020, for a definitive result.