Every state has a different process and set of rules for counting ballots. Many more millions of Americans have voted early in person or by mail this year than usual because of the pandemic, and millions more will be voting on Election Day.
Here’s when polls will close in key states, and when we might begin to see results.
Florida
Pre-election votes: Processed beginning Sept. 24; counted on Nov. 3
What to expect: Polls close at 8 p.m. EST. Most pre-election vote results are expected to be released first. Most counting is typically finished on election night.
Georgia
Pre-election votes: Signature matching begins on receipt; scanning begins as early as Oct. 19; tabulating begins Nov. 3
What to expect: Polls close at 7 p.m. EST. Counties vary on order of releasing pre-election and Nov. 3 results. Most votes expected to be counted on election night.
Texas
Pre-election votes: Large counties processed beginning Oct. 22; mail votes counted on Oct. 30. Smaller counties processed beginning Oct. 30; mail votes counted on Nov. 3. In-person early votes are counted on Nov. 3.
What to expect: Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. Most counties release pre-election votes first. Texas typically finishes most vote counting on election night.
North Carolina
Pre-election votes: Processed beginning Sept. 29; counted on Nov. 3
What to expect: Polls close at 7:30 p.m. EST. Most counties release pre-election votes first. North Carolina typically finishes most vote counting on election night; late-arriving ballots may increase the number left to count.
Ohio
Pre-election votes: Processed beginning Oct. 6; counted on Nov. 3
What to expect: Polls close at 7:30 p.m. EST. Early processing of pre-election ballots could help earlier vote release. Many counties expected to release pre-election votes first, then Nov. 3 results. State typically finishes counting on election night or next day.
States that expect to finish counting after Election Day
Arizona
Pre-election votes: Processing begins on receipt; tallying began Oct. 20
What to expect: Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. Pre-election vote results are expected first; vote release begins one hour after polls close. Arizona typically has large amounts of ballots left to count after election night.
Wisconsin
Pre-election votes: Processed and counted Nov. 3
What to expect: Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. Counties vary on order of releasing pre-election and Nov. 3 results. Some municipalities release Nov. 3 votes first, others mix pre-election ballots with Nov. 3 vote. Wisconsin expects to finish counting by Nov. 4.
Michigan
Pre-election votes: Some large cities start processing on Nov. 2, the rest of the state starts Nov. 3. Counting begins Nov. 3.
What to expect: Final polls close at 9 p.m. EST. Counties vary on order of releasing pre-election and Nov. 3 results. Michigan expects to finish counting by Nov. 6.
Pennsylvania
Pre-election votes: Not processed or counted until Nov. 3.
What to expect: Polls close at 8 p.m. EST. Counties are not required to count mail ballots until after Election Day. Some counties will not count any mail ballots on election night. Counties vary on order of releasing pre-election and Nov. 3 results — some released in waves mixed with election day voting. Pennsylvania expects to finish counting by Nov. 6. (CNN)
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