Today (November 5), voting is taking place in the presidential elections across the United States. Surveys suggest a neck-and-neck battle between Trump and Harris. Attention is centered on the election outcomes, with hopes of clarifying who will clinch the White House today. But past statistics in America indicate potential delays in results, much like the 2020 elections where it took four days to announce the verdict.
Previous Elections Saw Delayed Results
In November 2020, when Americans cast their votes for the presidential election, Joe Biden was announced as the winner four days post-voting. This was primarily due to the tight races in crucial battleground states. Additionally, challenges surged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following 2020, some states amended their electoral laws to expedite the counting process. While predictions suggest quicker results this year, a definitive announcement on election night remains unlikely.
When Does Voting Begin?
On November 5, there's no fixed start time for voting. Most states commence voting from 7 am, though some could start between 5 am and 10 am. States like New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Washington determine voting times based on various counties or municipalities.
Similarly, closing times vary; in states such as Indiana and Kentucky, voting concludes by 6 pm (11 pm GMT US Eastern Time), whereas polls remain open until midnight (5 am GMT US Eastern Time) in western states like Hawaii and Alaska.
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When Does Ballot Counting Begin?
Post-voting, announcing results can encounter several hurdles. For instance, in Arizona, state laws allow voters to drop off completed ballots at polling centers a day before, or on election day itself. However, these 'late early' ballots are only counted once voting is concluded.
In Pennsylvania, which carries 19 electoral votes, declaring election results might take longer. The reason being, election officials in Pennsylvania aren't permitted to process mail-in ballots before 7 am on election day, potentially delaying announcements by over 24 hours.
Furthermore, Michigan and Nevada have implemented changes to speed up vote counting post-2020. These states now allow pre-processing of ballots before voting. Meanwhile, North Carolina faces additional delays due to the recent Hurricane Helene impacting their counting process.
Why Might There Be Delays?
In January 2020, several Republican Congress members from states like Pennsylvania and Arizona raised objections regarding results that favored Biden. Additionally, in seven swing states, some self-proclaimed Electoral College members attempted to declare Trump as the winner of their states. They forwarded their votes to Congress, aiming to cast doubt on the official results. Given these multiple electoral challenges, delays in the outcome announcement are plausible.
