Election Day poll closing times/ battleground states poll closures/ 2024 election timeline/ key states Election Day/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ On Election Day, key battleground states including Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania will play pivotal roles in deciding the next president. Poll closing times vary across states, with all times listed here in Eastern Standard Time (EST) to help voters stay informed on when results may start coming in.
Election Day Poll Closures in Battleground States: Quick Looks
- Arizona: Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. ET, with results reported by 10:02 p.m.
- Georgia: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. ET, crucial for early returns.
- Michigan: Polls open at 7 a.m.; close times vary, mostly at 8 p.m. ET.
- Nevada: Polls open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. ET, results released after all voters finish.
- North Carolina: Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. ET, tight 2020 margin.
- Pennsylvania: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. ET, significant 19 electoral votes.
- Wisconsin: Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. ET, known for narrow margins.
Election Day 2024: When Polls Close in Battleground States
Deep Look
With Election Day approaching, the nation’s attention is centered on seven critical battleground states that will determine the next president of the United States. These states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—hold significant weight in the Electoral College, and poll closing times will be crucial for those tracking results. Here’s a look at when polls open and close across these states, with all times noted in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Arizona
Polls in Arizona open at 8 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. ET. Arizona has historically been a Republican-leaning state, but Joe Biden narrowly carried it in 2020, making him the first Democrat since 1996 to win there. Arizona releases votes once all precincts are in or one hour after polls close. In the 2020 election, Arizona’s initial results were reported at 10:02 p.m. ET, with Biden ultimately declared the winner at 2:51 a.m. ET the following morning.
Georgia
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. ET in Georgia, where Biden became the first Democrat to win since Bill Clinton in 1992, by a razor-thin margin of 11,779 votes. Trump’s attempts to overturn those results in 2020 became the center of an ongoing criminal case. In 2020, Georgia’s first results came in at 7:20 p.m. ET on Election Night, with Biden confirmed the winner nearly two weeks later after close scrutiny and recounts.
Michigan
Michigan’s polls open at 7 a.m. ET, with most closing at 8 p.m. ET, though certain areas remain open until 9 p.m. ET due to the state’s split time zones. Considered a “blue wall” state, Michigan swung to Trump in 2016 before flipping back to Biden in 2020. That year, the AP reported initial Michigan results around 8:08 p.m. ET and declared Biden the winner by 5:58 p.m. ET the following day.
Nevada
In Nevada, polls open later, at 10 a.m. ET, and close at 10 p.m. ET. Nevada’s importance lies in its status as a bellwether state, voting for the winning presidential candidate in 27 of the past 30 elections. The state only releases results once all voters in line have cast their ballots, which can cause a delay. In 2020, initial Nevada results came in at 11:41 p.m. ET on Election Night, with Biden declared the winner days later on November 7.
North Carolina
North Carolina’s polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. ET. The state has been highly competitive, with Trump carrying it in 2020 by a slim margin of just 1 percentage point. In the last election, the AP first reported North Carolina results at 7:42 p.m. ET and called the state for Trump on November 13, more than a week after Election Day.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, another “blue wall” state, has polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. With its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is one of the most significant battlegrounds. Biden won Pennsylvania by around 80,000 votes in 2020, solidifying his path to the White House. The AP reported Pennsylvania’s initial results at 8:09 p.m. ET on Election Night and called the state for Biden on November 7.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin, the third of the traditional blue wall states, has polls that open at 8 a.m. ET and close at 9 p.m. ET. Known for narrow margins, Wisconsin went to Biden in 2020 by less than 1 percentage point. That year, the AP reported Wisconsin’s initial results at 9:07 p.m. ET on Election Night and called the state for Biden the next day at 2:16 p.m. ET.
These battleground states span four time zones, and as results begin to roll in, each closing time will be pivotal in building a clear picture of the election’s outcome. Historically, initial results are released soon after polls close, but official calls may take longer, especially in close races.
For many states, particularly Pennsylvania and Georgia, which have seen recounts and legal disputes in recent years, patience will be necessary as every vote is counted. The high stakes and tight polling in these regions mean that even small margins can shift the Electoral College tally. A win in these states could quickly push either candidate past the 270 electoral votes needed to secure victory. With the backdrop of close 2020 margins in states like Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, Election Night 2024 is poised to be a close, closely monitored event for both parties and millions of Americans awaiting the results.
