When do polls close in your state on Election Day in the U.S.?

As Americans head to the polls today, November 5, the nation is poised for a pivotal moment in its democratic process. This Election Day marks the culmination of extensive campaigning, characterized by a barrage of advertisements and outreach efforts aimed at rallying voter support across various levels of government.

The stakes are exceptionally high, with elections taking place for local offices, state legislatures, and federal positions. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are contested, along with 34 Senate seats. The most significant battle is for the presidency, where former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race. Polls indicate that neither candidate holds a definitive lead as they approach this critical day.

Voter turnout is expected to be substantial, fueled by record early voting numbers, over 81 million ballots have already been cast prior to Election Day, reflecting a remarkable engagement from the electorate. This figure surpasses half of the total votes recorded in the 2020 presidential election, indicating a historic surge in participation.

Polling stations across the country opened this morning, with times varying by state due to the six different time zones. The first polls closed at 6 PM Eastern Time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, with subsequent closures throughout the evening as states report their results. Notably, results will not be available until all polls in each state have closed, which could lead to delays in determining winners.

Attention is particularly focused on key battleground states such as Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina, areas that could ultimately decide the election outcome. The electoral landscape is further complicated by heightened tensions surrounding potential disputes over the results, especially given Trump's previous claims regarding the integrity of past elections.

As voters make their voices heard today, the implications of their choices will resonate throughout U.S. politics for years to come. Whether Harris becomes the first female president or Trump makes history as a candidate with a felony conviction remains to be seen. However, what is certain is that today’s elections will shape not only governance but also the very fabric of American democracy moving forward.

Poll closing times 

18:00 Eastern Standard Time (23:00 GMT)

• Indiana (majority of state)
• Kentucky (majority of state: counties that fall in the Eastern Time Zone)

19:00 Eastern Standard Time (00:00 GMT)

• Alabama (certain eastern areas, including parts of Chambers, Lee and Russell counties)
• Georgia
• Florida (majority of state)
• Indiana (counties including Gibson, Jasper, Lake, Laporte, Newton, Perry, Porter, Posey, Spencer, Starke, Vanderburgh and Warrick)
• Kentucky (western counties that fall within the Central Time Zone)
• New Hampshire (majority of state)
• South Carolina
• Vermont
• Virginia

19:30 Eastern Standard Time (00:30 GMT)

• New Hampshire (Brookline and Kensington)
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• West Virginia

20:00 Eastern Standard Time

• Alabama (majority of state)
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida (western counties including Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson,
• Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington)
• Illinois
• Kansas (majority of state)
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan (majority of state)
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Hampshire (19 towns and one city)
• New Jersey
• North Dakota (eastern part of state)
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota (majority of state)
• Tennessee
• Texas (eastern part of state)
• Washington, DC

20:30 Eastern Standard Time

• Arkansas

21:00 Eastern Standard Time

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Kansas (western counties including Greeley, Hamilton, Sherman and Wallace)
• Louisiana
• Michigan (western counties including Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron and Menominee)
• Minnesota
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• North Dakota (western part of state)
• South Dakota (17 counties in western part of state)
• Texas (western counties including El Paso and Hudspeth)
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

22:00 Eastern Standard Time

• Idaho (majority of state)
• Montana
• Nevada
• Oregon (parts of Malheur County)
• Utah

23:00 Eastern Standard Time

• California
• Idaho (counties including Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone)
• Oregon (most of the state)
• Washington

00:00 Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday

• Alaska (majority of state)
• Hawaii

01:00 Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday

• Alaska (Adak precinct in the Aleutian Islands)