US presidential election: when will the results be known
6 November 2024 00:12
The 2024 presidential election in the United States is attracting the attention of not only Americans but also Ukrainians. However, the traditional lengthy process of counting votes in key battleground states means that the final results may not be known immediately, but within days or even weeks after Election Day, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The first polling stations will close at 18:00 North American Eastern Time (22:00 Greenwich Mean Time) on Tuesday, and the last ones will close at 01:00 New York time (5:00 Greenwich Mean Time) on Wednesday.
However, the outcome of the election is expected to depend on the results in seven swing states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Nevada will be the last state to close its polls (in the swing states) at 10 p.m. New York time (2 a.m. Greenwich time)
First, as a rule, votes from polling stations in the United States are counted. Next, the votes of voters who participated in early voting for various reasons are counted.
After that, ballots from polling stations abroad and from US military bases are scanned.
Why does it take so long to count votes?
The vote count includes checking that the number of ballots cast matches the number of voters who voted, and checking the condition of the ballots for stains and other damage. If any discrepancies are found, an audit is conducted.
The votes are counted as follows: ballots are passed through special scanners that count the number of votes. In some cases, it may be necessary to count the votes manually.
Each state has its own rules that define who can participate in the count, as well as the order of counting and at what stages and in what way voters, including observers, can follow the process.
Counting in certain states, particularly in close ones, may be delayed by additional ballot review, the high volume of mail-in voting, and the possibility of recounts. For example, in states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia, a large number of ballots often need to be carefully processed, as the outcome of the general election depends on it.
The inauguration of the new president will take place on January 20, 2025, at the Capitol. The candidate who wins the 2024 election will become the 47th president of the United States.
It is worth noting that 4,300 votes of American voters who voted from abroad were challenged in 14 districts of Pennsylvania. The media suggest that this may affect the outcome of the vote.
