Next US president: How and when we'll know the election winner
Harris and Trump face-off in what polls show as closest-ever presidential race. Exit polls start today at 5pm ET but final results might take days or weeks depending on vote margins
The high-stakes match-up between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump shapes up as an ultra-tight race that might keep everyone guessing about its outcome
First hints come from exit-polls (starting 5pm ET today): these surveys dont just show voting choices but dig into voter groups and their decision-making process. TV networks cant announce winners in close-call states - they need real vote counts plus other data to make their pick
The path to knowing who won isnt simple: if theres a clear front-runner we might know within hours; however a neck-and-neck finish could mean days of waiting. The 2000 Bush-Gore stand-off (which took over a month to resolve) shows how complex things can get when votes are super-close
- States must check and confirm their results in nov-dec
- Congress counts electoral votes on jan-6 2025
- Legal fights might slow everything down
- Battle-ground states need careful vote counting
America‚ Iʼm honoured that you have chosen me to lead our great country
Looking back at 2020s election - it took 4 days after voting ended before networks called it for Biden. Pennsylvania pushed him over the top with a 30‚000-vote lead which made the outcome clear - but todays race might be even tighter
