Election Day 2020: How to keep up with election results
The race between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden comes to a close today as voters finish casting their ballots in pivotal races across the country. We’ll begin seeing the first presidential election results tonight, along with vote counts for key Senate, House and governors races.
Here’s your guide to following POLITICO’s coverage of Election Day 2020, and what to keep an eye on in the days and weeks ahead:
Where can I find presidential election results?
We’ll have live election results for the presidential race, including the electoral vote counts, on our presidential election results page.
Where can I get live updates and analysis on election results throughout the day?
Beginning Tuesday morning, we’ll be providing live updates on exit poll results, race calls and candidate speeches on our key Election Day moments page. Then, beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST, our reporters and editors will give live expert analysis and reactions to the night’s news as it happens in our Election Day live chat.
Where can I get election notifications?
You can sign up for breaking news alerts and our 2020 Elections newsletter to get the top election news and results sent to your email. Download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android to get push notifications directly to your phone.
When do polls close on Election Day?
Poll closing times vary by state, but the first election results will come in just after 6 p.m. EST. We’ve broken down poll closing times by state here.
What can we expect on Election Day?
Anything can happen on Election Day, but our campaigns team has released their final election predictions for the presidential, House and Senate races, showing Biden leaning toward a victory for the White House. They also broke down the final preelection polls, showing Biden with a more comfortable lead than Hillary Clinton had four years ago. As voters head to the ballot box, we’ll be tracking exit poll results and other news here.
When will we know who will win the election?
It may take days or even weeks before the winner of the presidential election is called. States have seen surges in mail-in voting this election cycle because of the coronavirus pandemic, and mail-in ballots will be accepted in some states after Election Day as long as they’re postmarked by Nov. 3.
Some states will be called earlier than others. We’re tracking TV network presidential election race calls by state here.
Which states are swing states in 2020?
We identified eight states that are key battlegrounds for Trump and Biden: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Michigan and Minnesota. We’re tracking polling in competitive states here.
What about House and Senate elections?
Voters will also go to the polls to decide several close races for seats in both chambers of Congress on Tuesday. We’re tracking live results for House and Senate races in each state, along with results for governors races.
Where will Trump and Biden be on election night? Will they speak?
Trump will be in Washington, D.C., while Biden will be spending Election Day in Wilmington, Del. It’s unclear whether either candidate will deliver an acceptance or concession speech on Election Night, but we’ll have videos of any candidate remarks here.
What could go wrong on Election Day?
Technical glitches. Fraud. Armed militias. POLITICO Magazine put together a guide on what we should start worrying about — and when — in the minutes, days, weeks and months after voting ends on Election Day. We’ll also be following top election issues, including legal battles, voting struggles and misinformation, on our election threats hub.
What comes next after a winner is called?
After Election Day, Trump will still have about three months remaining in his first term. Inauguration Day for either candidate is set for Jan. 20, 2021.
What are the most interesting ballot measures to follow?
Our campaigns team has picked a list of the most consequential ballot measures being decided today, including referendums on criminal justice, marijuana legalization and elections reform.
How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win the election?
A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to clinch the presidency. You can follow our live electoral college map as votes are called by state, or plot your candidate’s path to 270 votes by competitive state with our interactive chart on the same page.
How do I find election results by state and county?
You can view live state election results by clicking the links below:
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Washington, D.C. | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
