When will the outcome of the US election be determined?

The world will anxiously wait for the election results to start pouring in on Tuesday night, as millions of voters are expected to show up to the polls today.

Here is what you need to know about the 2024 presidential election results.

When do the polls close?

At 6 p.m. Eastern, Kentucky (with eight electoral votes) will be the first state to close its polls.

Polls in the eastern half of the country will close between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., while those on the West Coast will close at 11 p.m.

Hawaii and Alaska will close their polls at midnight and 1 a.m. respectively, with Hawaii having four electoral votes and Alaska having three.

When will the 2024 Election Day results be announced?

Historically, election results have been announced shortly after polls close. However, in recent elections, it has taken longer to tally all the votes and declare a winner.

In fourteen states, mail-in ballots are legally counted after polls close on Election Day.

After 7 p.m. Eastern, the first election results will likely be announced, although some swing states like Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes) may not have their results known until later.

In 2020, the election was called in President Joe Biden's favor four days after Election Day, while in 2016, the race was called in Trump's favor at 3 a.m. the day after Election Day.

The longer it will take to determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, the closer it is to Election Day. Unless one candidate wins by a landslide, the winner may not be known for a day or more after the election.

The election results could be delayed by legal challenges from either former President Donald Trump or Vice-president Kamala Harris.

What are the key states to watch on Election Day?

The 2024 presidential election is predicted to be very tight with 270 Electoral College votes required to win.

Seven swing states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, will be closely watched by experts as they are likely to decide who the next president will be.

Here is when polls will close in each of the swing states.

7:00 p.m. Eastern – Georgia (16 electoral votes)

7:30 p.m. Eastern – North Carolina (16 electoral votes)

In Pennsylvania, polls will close at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, except for Cambria County, where they will close at 10:00 p.m. due to issues with electronic voting system software.

At 9:00 p.m. Eastern, Michigan (15 electoral votes), Arizona (11 electoral votes), and Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) will be awarded their respective electoral votes.

10:00 p.m. Eastern – Nevada (six electoral votes)

How do I watch the election live?

Planet Chronicle offers live election coverage online, and you can also follow the election results in real-time on their live election blog.