The first polls have closed in six East Coast states, marking the final stretch of a historic 2024 presidential campaign.
Polls have now closed in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky.
Election results may not be determined tonight as each state follows its own rules for counting ballots. If the presidential outcome depends on a few thousand votes in key states, it could be days before a winner is declared in the race between Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump.
“Our elections are very decentralized in how they are run, and every state has different procedures for counting all the different types of votes, from mail-in and in-person votes to absentee and provisional ballots,” said Rob Watkins, an associate professor in the School of Communication and Culture. “Americans need to have patience and not jump to conclusions tomorrow night. Settle in with snacks and beverages of your choice.”
In 2020, it took four days after the election on Nov. 3 that year before a winner was known. The same seven swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were too close to call even the next morning.
Election workers in at least 33 states can begin processing ballots a week or more before Election Day, though results may be delayed depending on the volume. In six states, processing starts on Election Day. Additionally, in 22 states and Washington D.C., mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can still be counted if they arrive later.
Despite these delays in 2020, on election night, former President Donald Trump prematurely declared, “We already have won,” just hours after polls had closed. It wasn’t until Saturday, Nov. 7 that AP had sufficient unofficial results available to call the race for President Joe Biden.
(The Chronicle is relying on the Associated Press for its results.)
Ya’Khira Hall, a first-year computer information systems major at Saint Xavier University, visited her TRIO office at the private Roman Catholic college in Chicago before casting her first vote for Harris.
“It’s not like I feel confident or unconfident, just in the middle,” Hall said. “I’m not sure how things will go, but I definitely know that people who want Trump in office are voting.”
Sharing similar anxious sentiments, Fabrizio Coss, a senior graphic design major from Saint Xavier University, said he is not planning to vote today.
“I do feel a little bit anxious, just unsure about where the country is headed towards,” Coss said while drawing an illustration. “But also, in a similar manner, I’m just kind of indifferent…At this point, in my opinion, and I noticed this might be a little bit of a pessimistic view, but what’s the point?”
Additional reporting by Maya Liquigan
Copy edited by Vanessa Orozco
Resumen en Español:
Las primeras urnas han cerrado en seis estados de la costa este, marcando la recta final de una histórica campaña presidencial para 2024.
Las urnas ya han cerrado en Georgia, Carolina del Sur, Vermont, Virginia y partes de Indiana y Kentucky.
Es posible que los resultados de las elecciones no se determinen esta noche, ya que cada estado sigue sus propias reglas para contar las boletas.
Si el resultado presidencial depende de unos pocos miles de votos en estados clave, podrían pasar días antes de que se declare un ganador en la carrera entre la candidata Demócrata y Vicepresidenta Kamala Harris y el candidato Republicano y ex Presidente Donald Trump.
Resumen en Español por Araceli Ramirez
Resumen en Español copia editada por Doreen Abril Albuerne-Rodriguez
