Battleground states’ polling hours and how long it might take to get results

Nov 4

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Voters will be closely watching the seven particular battleground states on election night. Those states have 93 electoral votes in play.

Georgia

In Georgia, the polls open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time and close at 7 p.m. In 2020, the first results were announced at 7:20 p.m.

However, it took 16 days for The Associated Press to declare Joe Biden the winner by about 11,700 votes.

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North Carolina

In North Carolina, polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

In 2020, the first results were made public at 7:42 p.m, but it was 10 days later when the AP announced that Donald Trump had won.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The first results in 2020 were announced just minutes later at 8:09 p.m.

The Associated Press proclaimed Joe Biden the winner of Pennsylvania on Saturday, Nov. 7. Later, the national news networks began declaring Biden the winner of the election and calling him the president-elect.

Michigan

In Michigan, polls open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time. Some polls close at 8 p.m., others at 9 p.m.

In 2020, the AP began releasing results in Michigan at 8:08 p.m., eight minutes after polls closed in some locations. It took an extra day for the AP to declare Biden the winner.

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, polls open at 7 a.m. Central Time and close at 8 p.m. In 2020, the AP began announcing results seven minutes after the polls closed. It declared Biden the winner on the afternoon of Wednesday Nov. 4.

Arizona

Out west in Arizona, polls open at 6 a.m. local time and close at 7 p.m. in the state. According to PBS, Arizona doesn’t release votes until all the precincts have reported or one hour after the polls close.

In 2020, the AP reported the first results about one hour after the polls closed and declared Biden the winner early the next day.

Nevada

In Nevada, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time. Back in 2020, the first results came out about two hours after the polls had closed. It took until Saturday, Nov. 7, to announce Biden as the winner.

The bottom line is, in almost all of the battleground states it took lots of time, days even, to declare a winner. With this election seemingly very tight as well, Americans might not know who won for quite some time.

Tags: 2020 elections, 2024 Elections, Arizona, Battleground state, Donald Trump, Election, Georgia, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Swing State

[Craig]

MANY EYES WILL BE ON THE SEVEN BATTLEGROUND STATES ON ELECTION NIGHT –

GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, ARIZONA AND NEVADA. THERE ARE 93 ELECTORAL VOTES IN-PLAY, TOTAL, IN THOSE STATES. HERE IS WHAT TO WATCH FOR.

IN GEORGIA, THE POLLS OPEN AT 7 AM EASTERN AND CLOSE AT 7 PM. IN 2020, THE FIRST RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED AT 7:20 PM. BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL 16 DAYS LATER, THAT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DECLARED JOE BIDEN THE WINNER, BY ABOUT 11,700 VOTES.

IN NORTH CAROLINA, POLLS OPEN AT 6:30 AM AND CLOSE AT 7:30 PM. IN 2020, THE FIRST RESULTS WERE MADE PUBLIC AT 7:42 PM. BUT IT WAS 10 DAYS LATER, WHEN THE AP ANNOUNCED TRUMP HAD WON.

IN PENNSYLVANIA, POLLS OPEN AT 7 AM, AND CLOSE AT 8 PM. THE FIRST RESULTS IN 2020, WERE ANNOUNCED JUST MINUTES LATER AT 8:09 PM. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PROCLAIMED BIDEN THE WINNER OF PENNSYLVANIA ON SATURDAY MORNING NOVEMBER 7TH. THE WIN IN PENNSYLVANIA, PUSHED BIDEN OVER THE TOP AND THE NATIONAL NEWS NETWORKS BEGAN DECLARING BIDEN THE WINNER OF THE ELECTION.

IN MICHIGAN, POLLS OPEN AT 7 AM EASTERN. SOME POLLS CLOSE AT 8 PM, OTHERS AT 9 PM. THE A-P BEGAN RELEASING RESULTS IN MICHIGAN AT 8:08 PM IN 2020 – EIGHT MINUTE AFTER POLLS CLOSED IN SOME LOCATIONS

IT TOOK AN EXTRA DAY, FOR THE A-P TO DECLARE BIDEN THE WINNER, DOING SO ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 4TH.

IN WISCONSIN, POLLS OPEN AT 7 AM CENTRAL TIME AND CLOSE AT 8 PM CENTRAL. IN 2020, THE A-P BEGAN ANNOUNCING RESULTS AT 8:07 PM – JUST SEVEN MINUTES AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED. IT DECLARED BIDEN THE WINNER ON THE AFTERNOON OF WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH.

OUT WEST IN ARIZONA, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM LOCAL TIME OR 8 PM IN THE EAST AND CLOSE AT 7 PM IN THE STATE. ACCORDING TO P-B-S, ARIZONA DOES NOT RELEASE VOTES UNTIL ALL PRECINCTS HAVE REPORTED OR ONE HOUR AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE.. IN 2020, THE AP REPORTED THE FIRST RESULTS FROM ARIZONA, ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED. THEY ANNOUNCED ARIZONA WENT TO BIDEN , EARLY WEDNESDAY, LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER ELECTION DAY.

IN NEVADA, POLLS OPEN AT 7 AM LOCAL TIME OR 10 AM IN THE EAST. POLLS CLOSE AT 7 PM LOCAL TIME. BACK IN 2020, THE FIRST RESULTS CAME OUT ABOUT TWO HOURS AFTER THE POLLS HAD CLOSED, BUT IT TOOK UNTIL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH TO ANNOUNCE BIDEN THE WINNER.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THAT IN ALL SEVEN BATTLEGROUND STATES, IT TOOK LOTS OF TIME, DAYS EVEN, TO DECLARE A WINNER. AND WITH THIS ELECTION AIR TIGHT YET AGAIN, WE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHO WON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AS THE COUNTING CONTINUES. I’M CN FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.