After a historic election season, where the incumbent president stepped down from the ticket and the Republican nominee survived two assassination attempts, Americans are finally casting their ballots.
By the time polls close on November 5, tens of millions of Americans will have already voted, but many more are expected to vote in person on Election Day. In the 2020 presidential race, over 200 million Americans voted, marking the highest turnout since 1992. Experts predict similarly high turnout this year, as Americans are eager to have their say in what is expected to be a close race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Additionally, voters will weigh in on thousands of federal, state, and local races.
As polls open, here’s a timeline of key closing times for election night:
6pm ET: Polls begin closing in eastern Kentucky and most of Indiana. Trump is expected to win these Republican-leaning states, and Republicans are likely to retain control of most of their House seats.
7pm ET: Polls fully close in six states, including battleground Georgia, where Trump holds a slight advantage over Harris. Virginia’s polls also close, where both parties are vying to flip a House seat. Early results in Virginia’s second and seventh congressional districts could signal how the House balance may shift.
7:30pm ET: Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia. North Carolina is a critical test for Harris, with Democrats also hoping to win the governor’s race. Senate control could hinge on races in Ohio and West Virginia, where Republicans aim to unseat incumbents, potentially leveling the 51-49 Senate split.
8pm ET: Polls close in 16 states, including Pennsylvania. With its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania could decide the White House, and competitive congressional races could swing control of Congress. In Florida, Democrats are attempting an upset in the Senate race.
8:30pm ET: Polls close in Arkansas, where Trump is expected to win easily, and attention will shift to returns from battleground states.
9pm ET: Polls close in 15 states, including Michigan and Wisconsin. For Harris, winning these states is crucial to her path to 270 electoral votes, while Trump could secure a second term by flipping even one of them. Michigan and Wisconsin also feature competitive Senate races.
10pm ET: Polls close in Nevada, Montana, and Utah. Harris hopes to hold onto Nevada, while Senate seats in Nevada and Montana could tip the Senate balance.
11pm ET: Polls close in California, where House races are critical for Democrats aiming to regain the majority. With toss-up races in California, this state represents Democrats’ best shot at House control.
12am ET: Polls close in Hawaii and most of Alaska. At this point, a clearer picture of the presidential winner may emerge, though, as in previous elections, the nation could be in for a long wait before the final outcome is confirmed.
In recent elections, it’s taken hours or even days for results to be officially called. If the race is as close as expected, Americans may need to wait patiently for clarity on their next president.
