Elections 2024: How do I follow the official election results in key states on November 5?
We’re still a day away from Election Day 2024, and while news media will cover any development from wall to wall, you can reduce that noise by going straight to the source and getting results from official sites in key states.
Election Day takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5, and this year the focus is on the race for the presidency between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. As with the last election cycle, experts predict a close race that will come down to the results of a handful of key battleground states. This year too, the turnout is expected to be high more than 66 million people early voting in the US so far, and states like Georgia is already reporting record numbers.
Read on to find out where you can find official Election Day updates, and for more information, see what’s on your ballot this year and see if your state still allows early voting.
What are the key battlegrounds in 2024?
Due to the mechanics of the Electoral College system, it has often been the case in recent decades that presidential elections are ultimately decided by a handful of “battleground states,” also known as “swing states.” These are states with populations more evenly divided between Democratic and Republican voters than most others, making it more likely that they can “swing” either way during a presidential election and determine the outcome.
This year, seven states are considered key battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Here are the states whose results are likely to draw the most attention on Election Day.
Where can I get the official voting results for the major battleground states?
For each of these states, you can obtain Election Day results online through an official state government website, usually the Secretary of State’s site, but possibly also the State Board of Elections site. Below is where you can view the results for each battlefield status:
When will we know the winner of the 2024 presidential election?
Don’t expect to learn the final results when the first polling stations on the East Coast are starting to close at 6:00 PM ET. In 2020, voting precautions and measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the close nature of the race in general, were highlighted as reasons why it lasted until Saturday after Election Day to determine the outcome of the presidential race.
Be wary of politicians or partisans calling the race early. Although some elections have been called on election night, voters are warned not to expect a final result by the end of Election Day, November 5, largely due to the seemingly close nature of the race. The closer an election is to a particular state, the longer it takes for enough ballots to be counted to get the final result.
While we likely won’t wait for the results for another month, states must certify their election results by December 11.
For more information about the election, read where each candidate stands on the child tax credit and how the election could change the way we use the internet.
