Will we know the identity of the next American president tonight? In 2020, it took four days before the major networks declared Joe Biden the winner. This year, the counting could also drag on.
Posted at 1:36 a.m.
Updated at 5:00 a.m.
The first to vote
- November 5, midnight, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
Once again, it was the tiny town of Dixville Notch, located in northern New Hampshire, which was the first to vote on Tuesday, at midnight. A sign of a vote that promises to be close, the two candidates received three votes each. In 2020, all five voters in Dixville Notch supported Joe Biden.
Eyes on Georgia and North Carolina
- 18 h : Indiana/Kentucky
- 7 p.m.: Florida / South Carolina / Georgia / Vermont / Virginia / New Hampshire
- 7.30pm: Northern Caroline/Ohio/Western Virginia
Indiana and Kentucky, won by Donald Trump, will be the first to close their polling stations at 6 p.m. Then, at 7 p.m., the first revealing results will begin to arrive. With 30 electors, Florida is the biggest prize in this cohort. But it is undoubtedly Georgia (16 electors) which will monopolize the attention because of the close race which is being played out there. Trump holds a slim lead of 1.5% there according to the latest polls, according to the site FiveThirtyEight. At 7:30 p.m., eyes will turn to Ohio and especially North Carolina, which are among the states where the race is close.
The coveted Pennsylvania and Michigan
- 20 h : Connecticut / Delaware / Washington, D.C. / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / New Hampshire / New Jersey / Pennsylvanie / Rhode Island / Tennessee / Alabama / Illinois / Kansas / Mississippi / Missouri / Oklahoma / Dakota du Sud / Dakota du Nord / Texas
It is at 8 p.m. that the bulk of the results from the East Coast will begin to be known. The states to watch here are Michigan and Pennsylvania. Harris enjoys a slim lead of less than 1% in Michigan according to FiveThirtyEight, while the candidates are neck and neck in Pennsylvania. A very close vote in Pennsylvania could result in a days-long wait, with the state having to wait until Election Day before starting to count votes received by mail. Michigan should report its results fairly quickly.
The key states of Colorado, Arizona and Wisconsin
- 20 h 30 : Arkansas
- 9 p.m.: Louisiana / New York / Minnesota / Nebraska / Wisconsin / Arizona / Colorado / Nouveau-Mexique / Wyoming / Iowa
After 9 p.m., results from key states like Colorado, Arizona and Wisconsin will gradually be added to the table. The result in Arizona could take days to be known because laws there limit the counting of votes received by mail before Election Day. Wisconsin also does not count ballots received by mail before Election Day, meaning it will take time to report results in this key state where candidates are neck and neck.
The Battle of Nevada
- 22 h : Montana/Utah/Nevada
- 23 h : Californie / Washington / Idaho / Oregon
At 10 p.m., Nevada will be particularly followed. It took days to declare Joe Biden the winner in this state in 2020. But a law passed since allows the counting of ballots received by mail 15 days before Election Day, which should speed up the process this year. By 11 p.m., voting will be largely over, but the outcome of the race may take time to be announced. It could be days before Pennsylvania, Arizona and Wisconsin count their votes. In addition: Trump and several Republican lawmakers have said they will challenge the election in court if they lose.
Closure of the last polling stations
- November 6, midnight: Hawaii
- 1 h : Alaska
Polls close at midnight Eastern Time in Hawaii and Alaska, except for one Alaska location which will close at 1 a.m. The Nordic state already seems to have been won by the Republicans.
