The United States is a step closer to finding out who the next president and vice president will be, as voting concludes on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and Republican candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, are preparing to go head-to-head for the nation’s highest offices.
While many citizens have already mailed their ballots or voted in person, those who haven’t yet may be wondering what information they need before heading to a polling location, such as what time polls open. For more details on how to vote, keep reading below.
Made a few friends at the polls. pic.twitter.com/uYw5Huykdt
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 2, 2024
Where Can You Vote?
Voting takes place at various public facilities depending on location. To find where you can vote, visit iwillvote.com.
What Time Do Polls Open on Election Day?
Each state has different poll opening times. For instance, Vermont opens as early as 5:00 a.m. ET, while some states start later, with the latest being 12 p.m. ET. Below is a general schedule of the times, according to CBS News.
5 a.m. Eastern Time
- Vermont (varies by town between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.)
6 a.m. Eastern Time
- Connecticut
- Kentucky (Western areas open at 7 a.m. ET)
- Maine (varies by town between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.)
- New Jersey
- New York
- Virginia
6:30 a.m. Eastern Time
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- West Virginia
7 a.m. Eastern Time
- Alabama
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida (parts of the Panhandle on Central Time open at 8 a.m. ET)
- Georgia
- New Hampshire (varies)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas (varies by county)
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan (Upper Peninsula counties open at 8 a.m. ET)
- Missouri
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (New Shoreham opens at 9 a.m. ET)
- South Carolina
- Wyoming
8 a.m. Eastern Time
- Arizona
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- North Dakota
- South Dakota (Western areas open at 9 a.m. ET)
- Tennessee
- Texas (some Western counties open at 9 a.m. ET)
- Wisconsin
8:30 a.m. Eastern Time
9 a.m. Eastern Time
- Colorado
- Montana (counties with fewer than 400 registered voters may open as late as 2 p.m. ET)
- Nebraska
- Nevada (most open at 10 a.m. ET, except City Hall in West Wendover)
- New Mexico
- Utah
10 a.m. Eastern Time
- California
- Idaho (Northern locations open at 11 a.m. ET)
11 a.m. Eastern Time
- Washington (varies by county)
- Alaska (except Adak)
12 p.m. Eastern Time
When Do the Polls Close?
Each state has its own closing times. Polls begin closing at 7:00 p.m. ET, with some of the latest closures occurring around midnight for states like Hawaii and Alaska, according to CBS News.
When Will We Know the Election Results?
In some cases, the president and vice president are announced on Election Day, but in others, results may take over 24 hours. This is due to the time needed to count all the votes as well as waiting on key swing states, which can impact the final outcome by leaning toward either the Democratic or Republican side.
