When do the polls close? A state-by-state guide

On By Littum

The first polling stations close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, and the last 6 p.m. 1 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday. In between, there will be a steady stream of closings every 30 to 60 minutes, with voting ending in key presidential swing states between 7pm and 10pm Eastern.

Select your time zone to see poll closing times in your local area.

Look up poll closing times in your state:

This guide offers a state-by-state breakdown with some tips on what results to look out for at each time of the night. However, keep in mind that some states will count votes faster than others. The pace depends largely on individual state laws, such as whether election officials can begin processing mail-in ballots before polls close.

As was the case in 2020, early returns can be misleading, not because anything is inaccurate, but simply because different voting categories — mail-in, early in-person and in-person Election Day — represent different segments of the electorate. Depending on which category is reported first in a given state, Democrats or Republicans may appear to have a lead that then erodes as the full results come in.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

The first closures are in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. (The western half of Kentucky and two small western corners of Indiana — that is, the parts of the states that are on Central Time instead of Eastern — will remain open for another hour.)

At the federal level, nothing competitive happens in any of the states. They are both solidly Republican in the presidential race, and there are no close House or Senate races, although Democrats are trying to break the Republican supermajority in the Indiana Legislature.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

This hour brings our first swing-state shutdown, in Georgia. It’s one of the seven key states in the presidential race, and it tends to count votes fairly quickly, but a close race — President Biden won Georgia in 2020 by fewer than 12,000 votes — could still mean a long wait for a winner .

In Virginia, there are competitive House races in the Second and Seventh Districts, and in Florida, Democrats have a long shot at flipping a Senate seat. We will also be closely monitoring the results of a referendum that would enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution; it requires a supermajority of 60 percent to pass. Remember, polls in part of the state’s conservative Panhandle will be open for another hour.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

North Carolina and Ohio are the key states here. Polls also close in West Virginia at this time.

North Carolina is one of the seven presidential swing states. It also has a closely watched governor’s race, although it may be less competitive than originally expected due to the scandals surrounding the Republican candidate, Mark Robinson. Ohio, although not competitive in the presidential election, is one of the states where control of the Senate will be decided: Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, is running for re-election against Republican Bernie Moreno.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

This is a big one, with polls closing in a number of states, including the battleground states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. (A few counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula will be open for another hour.) Those are two of the three “blue wall” states that Donald Trump flipped in 2016, but President Biden won back in 2020, and they could very well determine the outcome of the presidential election this year. They also both have competitive Senate races and several close House races.

There’s also a potentially competitive Senate race in Texas, where Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, is favored to win re-election but could fall if Democrats have a particularly strong night. And Missouri has a referendum on abortion rights.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

Polls are closing in Arkansas at this point, but the state, which is solidly Republican, does not have any competitive races at the federal level.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

Arizona and Wisconsin are two of the most important states to watch at this time. They will be the fifth and sixth of the president’s swing states to finish voting, leaving only Nevada still open, and both of them also have competitive Senate races.

Also keep an eye on Nebraska — it and Maine are the only states that split their electoral votes by congressional district, and the other district leans Democratic, but not overwhelmingly so. If Trump won that district, it would be a good sign for him. There are also several House races to watch out for in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico and New York, and abortion rights votes on the ballot in Arizona, Nebraska and South Dakota.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

The polls are now closed in all seven presidential swing states, with Nevada — also home to a competitive Senate campaign — bringing up the rear of the pack.

Also important is Montana, where the outcome of the Senate race between Democratic incumbent Jon Tester and his Republican challenger, Tim Sheehy, could determine control of the chamber. Montanans and Nevadans also both vote on abortion-legal referenda.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

It’s all about the congress in the states closing now. Between California, Oregon and Washington, there are at least 10 competitive House races, more than enough to be decisive for control of the chamber. But don’t expect results quickly. California is notorious for slow vote counts. In previous election cycles, some races have remained uncalled more than a week after Election Day.

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

The polls are now closed in Hawaii, but there’s nothing to see there—the presidential, Senate, and House races are all solidly Democratic. Keep an eye on the states that closed earlier. Or think about going to bed?

States where the polls are currently closing

What to see

Seven hours after the first polls closed in the Eastern Time Zone, Alaska ends the night. Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat, is running for re-election in a red state.

The results will continue to pour in, from Alaska and the rest of the country, long after the last voter has gone home. If a candidate wins comfortably, we might have enough information to know at this point. But if the election is as close as the polls suggest, we could be waiting a lot longer.