Introduction
Finally, Americans marked the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election with their votes on November 5. Close competition between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump makes everyone anxiously observe who would end up winning it all. However, close margins and the possibility of recounts in key states could mean that declaring a winner may take more time than expected.
This article delves into the final results, states to watch closely, potential challenges, and what comes next when the votes are counted.
What to Expect on Election Night
In the last presidential elections, results sometimes came through in news cycles within hours of closing polls. In 2016, news cycles declared Donald Trump the winner shortly after 3:00 a.m. the day after the election. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s flood of mail-in ballots may cause decisions to take up to four days, potentially leading to very close races.
Key Points:
Typically, we count early and absentee-by-mail votes first.
Results from swing states with hotly contested races will come slowly to an end.
Big states may delay their vote tallies for days or even weeks.
Swing States to Watch
Results in seven major swing states will likely decide this election. Broadly speaking, each of these states is neither deeply red nor reliably blue, making them crucial battlegrounds that can determine the outcome of a winning coalition with 270 electoral votes.
Let’s take a break to discuss when the polls close and when we might receive the results from each state for what is expected to be a historic night.
Georgia: The polls closed in Georgia at 7 p.m. EST. We anticipate receiving initial results quickly, with a full 75% likely to be counted within the first hour. Full results will come after midnight.
North Carolina: Polls close at 7:30 p.m. EST, and the results should be in before the night is over, but places hit by hurricanes in recent days may report later.
Pennsylvania: Polls close at 8:00 p.m. EST. Pennsylvania counts vote only on election day, so results will be at least 24 hours late.
Michigan: Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. We will know the election results a week before Election Day, but we might declare them late on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin: Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. Smaller counties usually provide results quickly; big cities may take a couple of days, likely up until Wednesday.
Arizona: Polls close at 10:00 p.m. EST, but full counts won’t arrive until several days later—at least for mail-in ballots.
Nevada: Polls close at 10:00 p.m. EST. Voters may still count mail-in ballots mailed on election day as long as they receive them by Nov. 9. This will prolong the eventual tally.
How Counts Take Place
Votes are tabulated in several stages:
Election Day Votes: They’re tallied as each polling station closes.
Early and Mail-In Ballots: These are counted after the election day votes, especially in states that receive many mail-in ballots.
Challenged Votes: In cases of disputed legality or validity, it takes a little more time to process them.
Ballots from the military and overseas typically count last because they arrive last.
Verification procedures involve comparing voter information, inspecting ballot conditions for damage, and counting ballots using electronic scanners. Where the cases are close, manual recounts become inevitable and thus add a longer time to the end.
Possible delays and challenges
Various factors may lead to a delayed annulment of the winners.
Pennsylvania requires a recount if the margin is less than 0.5%. Close races in the swing states may bring the recounts that will prolong the counting.
Litigation: There have been more than 100 pre-election lawsuits so far, and most of them have challenged the voter’s eligibility and registration. Such escalated litigation may affect the final certification of results.
Polling Station Disorder: The likelihood is lower, but any event at the polling stations and the whole process will be delayed. Election observers and security forces are prepared to tackle the problems that are bound to arise on Election Day.
Role of Electoral College
Win the popular vote, which establishes the state’s possible electoral college vote share, and the winner is the one who receives 270 or more electoral college votes.
On December 17, electors from all the states will gather to cast their formal votes on who the president will be. Congress later receives the results for certification purposes. The day January 6, 2025, marks when the new Congress shall formally count those votes and declare who will be its next president.
Certification and inauguration
This election is certified as soon as all valid votes are counted and confirmed, and in this case, the result is official. Since 2020, changes have been implemented to prevent disturbances similar to those that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. According to the latest reforms, the vice president cannot overrule the result.
On January 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol, he will take the oath of office as president if there are no major issues; this ceremony typically kicks off a president’s term and involves the swearing-in process, which includes a pledge of allegiance to the Constitution and an inaugural address.
Conclusion
Expect the election in 2024 to be one of the closest in modern history. Given the tight race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, voters should be ready to endure any potential delays in the results. Swing states will tell it all, and recounts or legal challenges may extend waiting periods even further.
The electoral process unfolds with the counting of the votes, focusing on the key battleground states and determining the path each candidate must take to win. The nation waits for that final decision: the new president will be ready to lead by January 20th.
