Election Day voting runs from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET across key states, and CNN’s guide outlines when polls close and how quickly results have typically arrived in recent cycles.
Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Ohio are expected to post early and mail ballots first, often creating an initial Democratic tilt before faster-counting states move close to complete reporting overnight.
Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska can swing later because large Democratic counties report in batches, while Maine and New Hampshire rely on local reporting that can slow statewide tallies into Wednesday.
Alaska and Maine could take the longest: Alaska may leave 15%-25% uncounted for days and Maine’s Senate race could stretch into late next week if ranked-choice tabulation is needed.
The timing matters because Senate and House control is at stake, and the guide frames when apparent leads may be misleading versus when results are likely to solidify.