When Will We Know the US Election Results? A Brief Summary

• The 2024 US presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump may take days or even weeks to determine a winner. Close polling results and complex vote-counting processes could lead to increased political and social tension.
• Each state's unique voting and vote-counting rules affect result reporting timelines. This diversity, characteristic of the US federal system, complicates the national electoral process.
• Some state laws may slow vote counting, particularly for mail-in and early votes. These security-focused regulations can significantly extend the process.
• Nearly 81 million voters cast early ballots, over half the expected turnout. This trend, intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to reshape Election Day dynamics.
• The order of vote counting may lead to premature conclusions, potentially causing misleading early leads and voter uncertainty.
• While the Associated Press remains the primary authority for announcing winners, other organizations like Decision Desk HQ also provide projections. These forecasts, though crucial for public information, are not official results.
• The Electoral College meets on December 17 to cast votes, with final Congressional certification on January 6. This unique process combines popular and electoral voting systems.
• Close results or challenges in swing states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) may further delay determining the winner. These states often decide presidential elections.
• Though generally accurate, past instances of erroneous announcements highlight the need for caution in vote-counting and result-announcing processes.
• The complex American electoral system, including provisional, mail-in, and overseas votes, may cause result delays. While ensuring fairness and accessibility, this complexity can lead to confusion.

Pennsylvania exemplified such uncertainty in 2020, where initial counts favored Trump, but final tallies on Saturday gave Biden the win, aligning with earlier exit polls. Source: Bloomberg Finance LP