American voters find their country fractured politically and culturally around the 2022 midterm elections, taking place nationwide on Tuesday 8 November.
Many are anxious about the future of democracy itself, given that the results in a number of high-profile contests are likely to be called into question by imitators of former president Donald Trump, many of whom have been endorsed by the man himself.
Issues from inflation to abortion, immigration and crime will be on people’s minds at the ballot box, as will the performance of president Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the midway point of his difficult first term in office.
Republicans will be hoping to win back their majority in the Senate and eat into the Democrats’ share of the House of Representatives, restricting the opposition’s ability to pursue a legislative agenda antithetical to their own values.
“This election is hugely consequential,” said Edward Foley, a professor at Ohio State University who directs its election law programme. “It’s a question of where our democracy is and how we are doing with our collective self-governance.”
What follows is a complete guide to when the polls close in each state and when we can expect results to begin rolling in, far from simple given that every state in the union has subtly different rules in place concerning Election Day protocol and vote counting, an area of no little controversy following the events of November 2020.
Alabama
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
9pm EST to 11.30pm EST
Alaska
Polls close
Midnight for most of the state but 1am EST on the Aleutian Islands
Approximate timing of results
First at 1am EST with occasional updates overnight. Then updates on 15 and 18 November to allow time for mail ballot counting. Final result on 23 November.
Arizona
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
First at 10pm EST with occasional updates overnight but counting of absentee ballots could take several days.
Arkansas
Polls close
8.30pm EST
Approximate timing of results
First results expected within 45 minutes of the polls closing and all expecting to be concluding by end of the evening.
California
Polls close
11pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Some results are expected on the night but the majority of citizens typically opt for mail ballots so full count not likely to be known until 15 November.
Colorado
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Counties must produce an initial result by 10pm EST with an update one hour later. Around 75 per cent of count expected to be finalised by 2am, with remainder completed in the coming days.
Connecticut
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Most results expected by early hours of the morning, although larger cities could take until Wednesday to report.
Delaware
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Results to begin coming in immediately after polls close, with updates expected at 15 minute intervals and counting expected to be completed by midnight.
District of Columbia
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Due to the high number of mail-in votes, only those cast before Election Day will be counted in advance, with votes cast on the day due for processing between 9-15 November. Regular updates will be made during that time.
Florida
Polls close
7pm EST in most of the state but 8pm EST in the Panhandle.
Approximate timing of results
The Sunshine State prides itself on being one of the fastest in the Union at counting ballots, with all postal votes due to be reported just 30 minutes after the polls close and all cast on the day due to be compiled within hours.
Georgia
Polls close
7pm EST
Approximate timing of results
The Peach State’s new election law gives counties additional time to process absentee ballots, requiring counting to be completed by 5pm EST Wednesday.
Hawaii
Polls close
Midnight EST
Approximate timing of results
Results from postal ballots account for an estimated 80 per cent of the total so are expected to be counted up and announced shortly after polls close. Those cast on Election Day are expected to be totaled up by 3am EST with a final tally confirmed on Wednesday.
Idaho
Polls close
10pm EST in the south of the state and 11pm EST in the Panhandle.
Approximate timing of results
Initial results, largely from early ballots, expected after 11pm with the remainder rolling around 3am and 4am EST.
Illinois
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Most results will be counted on the night, although larger counties could take longer and will not be conclusively finalised until 22 November.
Indiana
Polls close
6pm EST in most of the state by 7pm EST in the northwest and southwest.
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
Iowa
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun as a result of Iowa passing a new law requiring all absentee ballots to be submitted by Election Day.
Kansas
Polls close
8pm EST but 9pm EST in some western counties.
Approximate timing of results
Majority expected to be counted on Election Night but absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day can count as late as 11 November, so total will not be confirmed until then.
Kentucky
Polls close
6pm EST in eastern counties and 7pm EST in western counties
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
Louisiana
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night, based on 1am completion during 2020 presidential election.
Maine
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Initial results reported on Election Night, with counties required to report their completed totals to the secretary of state two days later. That said, Maine’s ranked-choice system means results could take several days if no candidate has a clear majority, necessitating second and third choices to be taken into account.
Maryland
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Ten jurisdictions out of 24 plan to count mail-in ballots in advance to enable reporting on the night, alongside early voting numbers. The remaining 14 will wait until 10 November before counting, leading to a confused picture on the night and perhaps no definite result before 18 November.
Massachusetts
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All in person votes and most mail-in ballots will be counted on the night, although the latter postmarked Election Day still have until 12 November to arrive and be counted, so a clear but not conclusive picture will arrive on the night.
Michigan
Polls close
8pm EST and 9pm EST in the Upper Peninsula
Approximate timing of results
Results could take as long as 24 hours to come in, after a new state law allowing the early counting of mail-in ballots arrived too late for incorporation into the current contest.
Minnesota
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Initial results expected by 9.15pm EST, with the final count ready by 1am EST, although secretary of state allows counting to continue into Wednesday evening in case of delay.
Mississippi
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Almost all votes expected to be counted on Election Night, although valid absentee ballots do have until 15 November to arrive.
Missouri
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
Montana
Polls close
10pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Results to begin coming in as the polls close, with updates from the secretary of state expected over the course of the following week.
Nebraska
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Nebraska’s secretary of state expects 95 per cent of results to be announced by 1am EST but will not offer a full update until Friday.
Nevada
Polls close
10pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Nevada does not commence counting until the very final vote has been cast and accepts mail votes up until 12 November so this one could take a while. The final tally may not be known until 15 November.
New Hampshire
Polls close
7pm EST in most of the state but 7.30pm EST in two towns and 8pm EST in 20 others.
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
New Jersey
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Almost all votes expected to be counted on Election Night, although mail ballots postmarked on the day have until 14 November to arrive so no tally will be official until then.
New Mexico
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
New York
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Most results expected to be counted on Election Night, with a new law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted early expected to spend things up dramatically. That said, those postmarked Election Day have until 15 November to arrive.
North Carolina
Polls close
7.30pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Early and absentee votes received by Monday afternoon will be reported within 90 minutes after polls close, with those cast on the day being counted and announced from 8.30pm EST to midnight. Mail votes postmarked Election Day have until 14 November to arrive though, so full count will not be complete until then.
North Dakota
Polls close
8pm EST in most of the state but 9pm EST in the southwest.
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun, with the secretary of state aiming for completion by midnight.
Ohio
Polls close
7.30pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Counting will begin shortly after polls close but the state allows valid mail-in votes to be considered up to 18 November, so a final total will not be reached until then.
Oklahoma
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Initial results expected as soon as 8.10pm EST with the final tally expected around 1am EST.
Oregon
Polls close
10pm EST in one county but 11pm EST everywhere else
Approximate timing of results
Voting by mail is popular in Oregon and voters have until 15 November to get them in. Others cast in person will be tallied up on the night.
Pennsylvania
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
While Election Day votes are expected to be reported that night, officials are not allowed to start processing absentee ballots until Tuesday morning, which could take several days. Additionally, in Philadelphia, officials responded to a legal threat from Republicans and agreed to a process that will slow voting in the Democratic stronghold, which could further delay a final vote tally for the state.
Rhode Island
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
The state is hoping to announce its first result shortly after polls close and have 95 per cent of counting completed within two hours.
South Carolina
Polls close
7pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
South Dakota
Polls close
8pm EST in eastern counties and 9pm EST in western counties
Approximate timing of results
Results are expected to come in quickly as soon as the polls close.
Tennessee
Polls close
8pm EST
Approximate timing of results
All expected to be counted on Election Night with no overrun.
Texas
Polls close
8pm EST in eastern counties and 9pm EST in western counties
Approximate timing of results
Early votes and mail ballots received by the close of polls will be reported soon after polls close, followed by Election Day votes, but postal votes actually have until Wednesday to come in so a final total will not be known until they appear.
Utah
Polls close
10pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Postal voting accounts for the majority in Utah so a final result may not be known until as late as 22 November because ballots postmarked by 7 November are due to come in between seven-to-14 days after Election Day.
Vermont
Polls close
7pm EST
Approximate timing of results
The first results are due to be announced around 7.30pm EST and concluded around 11pm EST or midnight. However, as with other states, a huge number of postal ballots are in play, which will delay matters by several days.
Virginia
Polls close
7pm EST
Approximate timing of results
After the polls close, we should see results every 15 minutes, with the majority completed on Election Night. However, valid mail ballots have until 14 November to be taken into account, so a final outcome will not be known until then.
Washington
Polls close
11pm EST
Approximate timing of results
While votes will come in on Election Night, the majority of ballots will be cast by mail and these only have to be postmarked on Election Day, not necessarily received by then, so the state’s total count can take several days to ascertain and will not be finalised until 29 November.
West Virginia
Polls close
7.30pm EST
Approximate timing of results
While the count is expected to begin shortly after polls close and results released accordingly, West Virginia accepts mail ballots postmarked by Election Day until 14 November and will not count them until that date, so a tight result could take a week to resolve.
Wisconsin
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
Postal votes cannot be counted in Wisconsin until Election Day, so we are not expecting to see results until Wednesday morning.
Wyoming
Polls close
9pm EST
Approximate timing of results
The first results are expected to come in around 10pm EST and the whole process to be completed by 2am EST, assuming all goes to plan.
Additional reporting by agencies
