Republican former President Donald Trump is set to face Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid.
Election day is Tuesday, November 5, and the candidate who wins 270 electoral votes or more becomes president.
Results could be announced on election day itself, in the days afterwards or even a number of weeks after due to the complexities of vote counting in the US.
During the 2020 election, TV networks did not announce the results until 4 days later.
US Election 2024 – When do the swing states announce their results?
Arizona
11 electoral seats.
Although traditionally a Republican stronghold, Joe Biden narrowly won the state in 2020.
Polls close 7pm local time (1am GMT). Officials plan to release initial results around 8pm local time (2am GMT).
Georgia
16 electoral seats.
Changing demographics have seen Georgia become progressively less safe for Republicans in recent years.
Polls close 7pm local time (11pm GMT). Georgia does not begin counting mail-in ballots until after polls close, meaning the result may not be clear on the night.
Michigan
15 electoral seats.
Donald Trump managed to flip the traditionally Democratic state against Hillary Clinton in 2016, but it was recaptured by Biden in 2020.
Most polls close 9pm local time (1am GMT). Some jurisdictions count mail-in ballots before election day, but not all, meaning state-wide results are not expected until a couple of days afterwards.
Minnesota
10 electoral seats.
Minnesota was won comfortably by Biden in 2020.
Polls close 9pm local time (1am GMT). Initial results are expected soon after that.
North Carolina
16 electoral seats.
Narrowly won by Trump over the last two election cycles.
Polls close 7.30pm local time (11.30pm GMT). Initial results will appear from 8.30pm local time (12.30am GMT).
Pennsylvania
19 electoral seats.
The largest swing state in play this cycle.
Polls close 8pm local time (12am GMT). Mail-in ballots cannot be counted until election day: officials hope to have a result in the days following.
Wisconsin
10 electoral seats.
In 2016 Trump defied pollsters to squeak a surprise victory in Wisconsin, but the state was reclaimed by Biden in 2020.
Polls close 9pm local time (1am GMT). In 2020 results were unavailable until several days after polls closed.
2025
– Jan. 6: The vice president presides over the Electoral College vote count at a joint session of Congress, announces the results and declares who has been elected.
Ahead of the count on Jan. 6, 2021, then-President Trump lambasted his vice president, Mike Pence, for refusing to try to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s win. On that day, the U.S. Capitol was attacked by rioters, and some people chanted “hang Mike Pence” as they tried to stop the count. Both chambers of Congress later resumed their work and certified Biden’s win.
Congress has since passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, which requires approval of one-fifth of the House and Senate to consider a challenge to a state’s results – a much higher bar than existed before, when any single lawmaker from each chamber could trigger a challenge.
– Jan. 20: The inauguration of the election winner and their vice president takes place. At this ceremony, the victor and vice president are officially sworn into office.
