As the U.S. presidential election approaches on November 5th, recent polling data reveals a tight race between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump. With over 41 million Americans having already participated in early voting, this election is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent history.
The stakes are high in this pivotal moment for the country, made even more notable by President Joe Biden’s decision to step out of the race. Following heavy criticism of his debate performance against Trump, Biden faced mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party, ultimately prompting his withdrawal from the campaign.
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The upcoming U.S. election is set for Tuesday, November 5. As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, Americans vote on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The winner of this presidential race will assume office with a four-year term beginning on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025.
Vote counting will start on November 5, but it may take a few days before the final results confirm the next president. Traditionally, media outlets announce the projected winner either on election night or the day after, based on available data.
Polling hours vary by state, but most locations will operate from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time (equivalent to around 4:30 p.m. IST on November 5 to 6:30 a.m. IST on November 6).
Exit polling, which gauges voter sentiment and helps project results, will begin after 5:00 p.m. EST (2:30 a.m. IST on November 6).
If a candidate reaches 270 electoral votes based on current projections, they will be declared the winner of the election, even as the official results are still pending.
Vote counting begins in each state as soon as polling stations close, with closing times varying by state, generally starting around 7 p.m. local time. Due to the U.S.’s multiple time zones, ballot counting on the East Coast often starts while voting is still underway in states like Alaska and Hawaii.
While news organizations may report preliminary data for each state, they will wait to officially declare a winner until all votes in that state are counted. In key battleground states, particularly during a tight race, final results may not be available until a more comprehensive vote tally is completed.
If the election outcome is decisive, a winner may be declared within hours. However, in a closely contested race, final results could take days or even weeks, depending on the pace of vote counting and any potential legal challenges.
The candidate who wins the U.S. presidential election will begin their four-year term on January 20, 2025.
Historically, determining the winner has sometimes taken days. In 2020, Joe Biden was declared the victor four days after the November 3 election, when Pennsylvania’s results were finalized, pushing him over the 270 electoral votes needed. In contrast, in 2016, Hillary Clinton conceded to Donald Trump the day after the election.
