The Election Day Dash: Navigating the Key States
Ah, Election Day! It’s like a massive episode of Survivor, but instead of exotic islands and immunity idols, we get seven crucial states and a rather overzealous Vice President and a former President with a penchant for drama! Who needs reality TV when you’ve got Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin? Buckle up, folks; it’s going to be a wild ride!
And by “wild,” I mean— you might want to remind your cat that there will be no scratching at the couch during this riveting political theatre!
The Great Electoral Hopscotch
We’re talking about the seven states that hold the keys to the White House. With all this back and forth across four time zones, you’d think the candidates were trying to break a world record for most frequent flyer miles! Honestly, it’s as if they’re playing a game of hopscotch while we simply wait to see who makes it to 270 electoral votes first—because let’s face it, that’s the magic number.
Arizona: The Sun-Soaked Battleground
The polls open at 8:00 AM, and just to keep things spicy, they close at 9:00 PM. Biden snuck in there with a 0.3% win in 2020—talk about a nail-biter! The only thing more suspenseful was how long it took them to declare him the winner; I mean, the suspense had me checking my pulse!
They don’t give out vote tallies until all precincts report, or at least an hour after polls close. So, we can safely expect some of those election night snacks are going to be intensely dug into while waiting for the “official” results. Get your popcorn ready!
Georgia: Peaches and Political Drama
Polls open an hour earlier at 7 AM, and in 2020, Georgia was the site of some serious political drama. You’d think a presidential race would be all about the policies and platforms, but nah—it turned into a courtroom saga worthy of a daytime soap opera! Polls close at 7:00 PM, but hold onto your hats, the results won’t be quick; it’s practically a tortoise trying to cross the road at this point!
Michigan: The Comeback Kid
Michigan’s polls also open at 7 AM, with closing times varying depending on where you are in the state. When it comes to swing states, Michigan is like the rollercoaster of the lot—up, down, and roundabout! Biden reclaimed it with about a 154,000 vote margin, so we’re all eager to see if he can keep that momentum!
Nevada: Not Just for Slot Machines
Polls in Nevada don’t crank up until 10 AM—clearly, they are enjoying a leisurely start! They wait until the last voter is in line to release results. So just imagine if you’re stuck in line behind the world’s slowest voter. Good luck with that! But hey, the winning candidate has historically done well here, so fingers crossed!
North Carolina: The Battleground of the Unsure
Opening at 6:30 AM, North Carolina is a bit of a mystery lately. Trump won there with a razor-thin margin—less than 1%. It’s basically the political equivalent of finding a hair in your soup. Polls slam shut at 7:30 PM, so you’ll have just enough time to wonder who actually likes the soup and get your snacks ready for the grand unveil!
Pennsylvania: The Big Cheese
With polls opening at 7 AM and closing at 8 PM, Pennsylvania is where it all went down last time. Biden’s victory was tighter than his jeans at the Thanksgiving table—about 8,000 votes out of nearly 7 million! It’s a crucial state, and it’s where the candidates faced off in the debates. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Wisconsin: The Cheesehead State
Another 8 AM start! Wisconsin has a history of close calls, and I don’t mean dating! In 2020, the margin was less than 1%. The polls close at 9 PM, so if you plot it right, perhaps you can indulge in that Wisconsin cheese while waiting for results!
Final Thoughts
So there you have it! Seven states poised to make or break a presidential campaign. Keep your eyes peeled, your debates in full swing, and your remote close at hand! This election is bound to be as full of twists and turns as a Lee Evans routine, and trust me—you won’t want to miss it!
Stay tuned, because the time is nigh! Election Day awaits, and while we can’t predict the future, we can certainly enjoy the spectacle!
WASHINGTON — The outcome of the upcoming United States presidential election hinges significantly on seven battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These states are not only pivotal in determining the next President but also represent a diverse and strategic map for candidates seeking the crucial 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have intensified their campaign efforts, making frequent stops in these critical areas. Their engagement underscores the importance of these states, which could ultimately decide the electoral fate of both contenders.
As election day unfolds, keeping track of the voting times in each of these states will resemble a game of hopscotch due to their span across four distinct time zones, adding to the complexity of monitoring results as they come in.
A look at the Election Day timeline across all seven, with all times in Eastern Standard Time:
Arizona
The polls in Arizona will open at 8:00 a.m. local time. Joe Biden narrowly triumphed in this state during the 2020 election, securing a victory by only 0.3%—making him the second Democrat to do so in nearly seven decades. Polls will close at 9:00 p.m., but the state has a unique counting procedure that only releases vote totals once all precincts have reported or one hour after the polls close, whichever occurs first.
In 2020, The Associated Press was the first to relay the election results from Arizona, announcing them at 10:02 p.m. ET on November 3, ultimately declaring Biden the winner early the following morning at 2:51 a.m.
Georgia
Polls in Georgia will open at 7:00 a.m., and the state played a pivotal role in the last election cycle. Biden managed to claim victory here, marking the first time a Democrat won Georgia since Bill Clinton’s victory in 1992, with a razor-thin margin of just 11,779 votes. Polls will close at 7:00 p.m.
Trump’s attempts to contest the 2020 results have resulted in ongoing criminal proceedings in Fulton County. His legal team is currently engaged in a pretrial appeal to remove District Attorney Fani Willis from the case, a situation that will be addressed after the conclusion of the election.
The AP reported Georgia’s initial election results on November 3 at 7:20 p.m. and officially declared Biden the winner on November 19, more than two weeks later.
Michigan
Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. in Michigan, a pivotal state that historically leaned Democratic until Trump’s 2016 win. However, Biden reversed the trend in 2020, achieving victory by approximately 154,000 votes out of over 5.5 million cast. Michigan spans two time zones; therefore, most of the polls will close at 8:00 p.m., while the remainder will close at 9:00 p.m.
The AP was able to report Michigan results at 8:08 p.m. on November 3 and subsequently declared Biden’s victory the following day at 5:58 p.m.
Nevada
Polls will open at 10:00 a.m. in Nevada, a state with the smallest electoral vote allocation among the battlegrounds, yet it boasts a strong history as an accurate predictor of presidential outcomes. Over the past 30 presidential elections, the winner of Nevada has gone on to win the White House in 27 instances. Polls will close at 10:00 p.m., but initial results are typically delayed until every voter in line has cast their ballot.
In 2020, the AP first published Nevada results at 11:41 p.m. on November 3, finally declaring Biden the winner at 12:13 p.m. on November 7, highlighting the importance of patience in this state’s reporting process.
North Carolina
North Carolina polls will open at 6:30 a.m. in a state that has only leaned Democratic in two presidential elections since 1968. Trump won North Carolina in 2020 by roughly a single percentage point, the narrowest margin of victory he achieved in any state. Polls will close at 7:30 p.m.
The AP first reported the results for North Carolina at 7:42 p.m. on November 3, with Trump being declared the winner about two weeks later, on November 13, at 3:49 p.m.
Pennsylvania
Polling stations in Pennsylvania will open at 7:00 a.m. This is another critical “blue wall” state, where Biden won by a slim margin of about 8,000 votes from a total of over 6.9 million votes cast in 2020. The state is significant not only for its electoral votes—19 in total—but also as the site of the only debate between Harris and Trump in Philadelphia in September.
The polls will close at 8:00 p.m., and the AP first reported election results at 8:09 p.m. on November 3, later declaring Biden the victor on November 7 at 11:25 a.m.
Wisconsin
Polls in Wisconsin will open at 8:00 a.m., marking the third state in the “blue wall” category. Wisconsin has a history of tight races, with the margins of victory in the 2020, 2016, 2004, and 2000 elections all falling below 1 percentage point. The polls will close at 9:00 p.m.
The AP first released initial Wisconsin results at 9:07 p.m. on November 3, ultimately declaring Biden the winner early the next day at 2:16 p.m.
Declaring Biden the winner on November 7, four days after Election Day when the final tallies came in.
North Carolina
North Carolina will see polls opening at 6:30 a.m., and they will close at 7:30 p.m. The state has been a prominent battleground, with Trump narrowly winning in 2020 by less than 1%. This makes North Carolina a tantalizing puzzle for both parties, leaving voters wondering which way the pendulum will swing this time around. With closely contested races, results may take a bit longer to finalize, as they tend to be scrutinized heavily.
Pennsylvania
Polling places in Pennsylvania will open at 7:00 a.m. and wrap up at 8:00 p.m. This state was a focal point in 2020, where Biden won by a slim margin of approximately 8,000 votes. The significance of Pennsylvania cannot be overstated; it is often considered a bellwether state due to its diverse populations and varying political leanings. Expect a great atmosphere of anticipation as the votes begin to roll in—this is where political narratives are made!
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, polling opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 9:00 p.m., marking another key battleground in the electoral contest. In 2020, the result was exceedingly close, with a margin of less than 1% in favor of Biden. Wisconsin also tends to provide a good mix of urban and rural voting patterns, making it an unpredictable yet vital component of the election strategy.
The Big Picture
These seven states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—are truly where the election will be decided. The unique voting hours across different time zones add a layer of complexity as everyone eagerly awaits results. Expect plenty of nail-biting moments, unexpected twists, and perhaps a few surprises along the way. As we gear up for Election Day, this season promises to be filled with suspense, and the outcomes in these battlegrounds will shape the future of the country.
So, prepare those snacks, gather your friends, and get ready for an electrifying Election Day showdown! Who will emerge victorious? Only time will tell!
