US election results are sometimes announced state by state within hours of polls closing. However, the tight competition this year could mean a longer wait.

When are the results of the 2024 presidential election expected?

The first polls closed at 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT) on Tuesday night. The latter will close at 01:00 EST or 06:00 CET.

In some presidential races, the winner was named late on election night or early the next morning.

This time, tight races in many states may mean the media waits longer before projecting who won.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, the former president, have been running head-to-head for weeks.

Narrow wins can also mean recounts

In the key state of Pennsylvania, for example, a recount will be required if there is a half percentage difference between the votes cast for the winner and the loser. In 2020, the margin was just over 1,1 percentage points, it says The BBC. 

Legal challenges are also possible. More than 100 pre-election lawsuits have already been filed, mostly by Republicans challenging voter eligibility and the management of the voter list.

Other scenarios that could cause delays include any election-related disruption, particularly at polling stations.

On the other hand, vote counting accelerated in some areas, including the key state of Michigan

When were the results of the previous presidential elections announced?

In the 2020 election, American TV networks did not declare Joe Biden the winner until four days after Election Day, when the result in Pennsylvania became clearer.

In other recent elections, voters have waited much shorter

In 2016, Trump was declared the winner shortly before 03:00 in the morning, ie 08:00 CET.

In 2012, when Barack Obama secured a second term, his victory was projected before midnight that night on Election Day.

The race is expected to come down to results in seven key states, which experts believe both Harris and Trump have a realistic chance of winning.

Turnout was high in early voting, both in person and by mail, and records were broken in Georgia.

Georgia – Polls close in the Peach State at 19:00 or 00:00 Macedonian time. Georgia's top election official estimates that about 75 percent of the votes will be counted in the first two hours.

North Carolina – Polls close 30 minutes after Georgia. Results from North Carolina are expected to be announced before the end of the night.

Pennsylvania – Voting ends at 20:00 p.m. EST, or 01:00 a.m. ET, but experts agree it could take at least 24 hours before enough votes are counted to emerge a winner.

Michigan – Voting ends at 21:00 PM EST or 02:00 AM PT. The result is expected by the end of tomorrow.

Wisconsin – Results are due shortly after the polls close at 21:00 p.m. local time. Experts predict that the state will not have a result until tomorrow.

Arizona – Initial results could come as early as 03 a.m. ET, but the state's largest county says it doesn't expect results until early Wednesday morning. Counting of postal ballots left on election day can take up to 00 days.

Nevada – Vote counting here can also take several days. The state allows mail-in ballots as long as they are mailed on Election Day and arrive no later than Nov. 9.

Why should we care about early voting data?

In such a close race, early voting results may not be the best indicator of who will ultimately win.

In 2020, Trump led in some key states on election night, but Biden overtook him as mail-in ballots, which were heavily favored by Democrats at the time, were counted.

Although election experts had previously warned of such a phenomenon, Trump used it to bolster his baseless claims that the election was stolen.

There could be another so-called "red mirage" this year – or perhaps a "blue mirage" that initially favors Harris but then shifts to Trump.

More than 83 million Americans have already voted, according to the University of Florida Elections National Early Voting Tracking System. Women make up 54% of that score, which could be a good sign for Harris.

But while early voting typically favors Democrats, registered Republicans cast nearly as many early votes this time.