When will we know who won the US presidential elections?

• Donald Trump Predicts Victory on Election Night
• Key States to Decide the Outcome
• National Guard Ready for Election Security

Former President Donald Trump, in a phone call with Jonathan Karl, chief correspondent for ABC News in Washington, expressed confidence in the results of the upcoming presidential election.

Trump stated that he has «a substantial lead» and predicted that the winner of the election could be known on election night itself.

This expectation contrasts with the reality of the electoral process, which may delay final results in several key states.

According to the Associated Press, the outcome of the presidential election in the United States will heavily depend on seven key states.

WHICH ARE THE KEY STATES?

The states that could determine the next president of the U.S. are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

These states have been frequently visited by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump throughout the campaign.

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Together, they contribute a significant number of Electoral College votes needed to reach the majority of 270 and secure the presidency.

Obtaining results in these states will be a lengthy process as they span four time zones and have different polling hours.

For example, in Arizona, polls open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

This state, where Joe Biden won by a narrow margin in 2020, could report its first results starting at 10:00 p.m.

Though the complete count could take longer.

In Georgia, polls close at 7:00 p.m.

WHEN WILL POLLS CLOSE IN OTHER STATES?

In the 2020 election, Georgia was crucial for Biden’s victory and was central to a criminal case due to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results.

In Michigan, another critical state, polls close at 8:00 p.m. in most areas, though a small part of the state remains open until 9:00 p.m.

According to the Associated Press, Michigan was one of the states Biden managed to reclaim in 2020 after Trump won it in 2016.

In other important states like Nevada and North Carolina, polls close at 10:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively.

In Pennsylvania, where Biden’s margin was only about 8,000 votes in 2020, polls will close at 8:00 p.m.

Finally, Wisconsin, another “blue wall” state that has seen tight races in recent cycles, will close its polls at 9:00 p.m.

The Washington National Guard, under orders from Governor Jay Inslee, will be on standby to assist law enforcement in the event of election-related disturbances.

This measure responds to warnings from the Department of Homeland Security, citing a high probability of threats to infrastructure during the US election process.

Recently, incidents occurred in southwestern Washington and Oregon, where incendiary devices were set off in drop boxes, damaging hundreds of ballots.

The decision to deploy the National Guard is a precautionary measure that will remain in place from November 4 through midnight on November 7, 2024.

As Governor Inslee explained in a letter to Major General Gent Welsh, this activation of the Guard aims to ensure that elections proceed without disruption.

The key states will be critical in determining the winner of this election, but the final outcome may not be known immediately, as happened in 2020.

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