America votes: How to follow the US election night from Europe

Europeans will be hanging onto their chairs tomorrow as Americans across all 50 states head to the polls to elect the next leader of the world’s most powerful nation.

Their choice will have far-reaching consequences for Europe and beyond, influencing everything from trade and economics to technology, the environment, and healthcare. 

Around 65 million Americans have already cast their ballots, thanks to early and absentee voting, which allows people to vote in advance or by post. 

So, what can we expect from election night? 

Focus on the swing states

Forget following the presidential race in all 50 states. Only seven key battlegrounds, known as swing states, will truly determine the outcome.

These are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In the rest of the states, the results are more or less a foregone conclusion. 

Pennsylvania will be one of the most closely watched, since it votes in 19 members of the presidential electoral college, the largest number of the swing states.

Euronews has prepared an explainer to help you understand the US electoral system and the pivotal role of swing states. 

When to expect the first results (in Europe)?

Expect first exit polls around 11 pm CET. These will give us an early indication of trends, but don’t get too excited just yet—many polling stations will still be open for a few more hours. 

Exit polls will also provide valuable insights into voter turnout and the demographic makeup of voters (education, origin, gender, age), which often hints at the direction of the race. 

Polling stations will close between 11 pm CET and 5 am, starting with Kentucky and Indiana, and ending with Alaska and Hawaii. But with only three and four electoral votes respectively, their results won’t be decisive. 

As for the swing states, Georgian polls close at 1 am CET, North Carolina at 1:30 am, Pennsylvania at 2 am, Michigan between 2am and 3am, Nevada at 4am, and Wisconsin and Arizona at 3 am. 

Making the call

Don’t expect all states to declare their results overnight. The first crucial results should come from Georgia around 4am, followed by North Carolina and Michigan. These states count mail-in ballots before the polls close, unlike others.

Early results from these states could already set the tone for the night. For instance, if Harris wins both Georgia and North Carolina, Arizona’s electoral votes could become critical. 

If the margins in the elections are decisive in Georgia and North Carolina, there may be some clear results signalled from those states first, but if the results are close, a recount might be requested, delaying the final outcome further. 

In 2020, only Arizona declared its results on election night. The rest took longer, with some finalising days or even two weeks later due to recounts. 

Will it be this simple?

Well, maybe not. Both Republican and Democratic teams have already prepared legal challenges, which could lead to recounts.

This election has been marked by heightened tension, with personal attacks and even doubts cast on the integrity of the process.

Protests aren’t out of the question either. Remember, Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over then-President Trump sparked an insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021 — a moment described by a US congressional panel as an attempted coup. 

For real time results, news and analysis from a European perspective follow Euronews comprehensive coverage of the US elections on TV and all our digital platforms. We will be providing real-time results by 11 pm CET on our digital platforms.