The outcome of the 2024 US presidential election could be known as early as Wednesday morning, just a few hours after the polling ends on Tuesday. Or it could take days, weeks, and, as it happened in one instance, a month.
More than 78 million American voters had already cast their ballot by Monday morning, on the eve of Election Day as Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump crisscrossed the seven battleground states with their closing remarks.
In 2016, voting closed on November 8 evening and it was all over by 2:30 a.m. on November 9 with Trump winning battleground state Wisconsin and its 10 electoral college votes to cross the magic number of 270 electoral college votes. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had called to congratulate him five minutes later.
But it may take longer. In 2020, polling was over on November 3 evening but President Joe Biden had to wait until November 7 for Pennsylvania to hand him its 19 electoral college votes and the presidency. The record for the most delayed result could go to the 2000 election when the country waited for more than a month to find its next President, George W Bush -- voting ended on November 7 and the state's outcome was known on December 12.
The US presidential election, it must be remembered, is settled not by the national vote total but by the electoral college votes won. Harris and Trump must win at least 270 of the 538 electoral college votes to win. Each state is assigned several electoral college votes which is the aggregate of the number of members it sends to the US House of Representatives and the Senate; the Senate count is the same for every state, two each.
The closing time for polling can vary from state to state and even from county to county within the state and sometimes even city by city in the same county. If polling closes at 8, whoever is in the line then will cast their vote, no matter how long it takes.
Early voting is currently underway with more than 55 million registered voters having already cast their ballot, either in person at a polling station or by postal ballot.
States should boost biz reforms to generate higher incomes for citizens: Eco Survey
States should focus on business reforms on a priority basis to achieve buoyancies in some industrial or service sectors, the Economic Survey 2024-25 said on Friday.
NCERT team seizes pirated textbooks in Agartala
Officials of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), along with Tripura Police, seized pirated NCERT books that were being sold to students in bookshops in Agartala, officials said on Friday.
Mamta Kulkarni's past haunts her, leads to expulsion from Kinnar Akhada
Actress Mamta Kulkarni, who ruled the 90s, has been expelled from the Kinnar Akhada. The designation of Mahamandaleshwar, which was given to the actress, has been revoked. The reason behind the same has been revealed to the actress’ past link to cinema, and her alleged criminal past.
Eco Survey suggests enhanced deregulation for MSMEs to boost growth
Faster economic growth is only possible if the Union and state governments continue to implement reforms that allow small and medium enterprises to operate efficiently and compete cost-effectively, said the Economic Survey 2024 on Friday.
Lifestyle choices, workplace culture key for mental well-being, productivity: Eco Survey
Lifestyle choices and workplace culture are critical for the mental well-being and thus, the productivity of the people in India, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25 on Friday.
Eco Survey: Demographic advantage, responsible approach position India to benefit from AI
With AI research and development currently concentrated in the hands of a few, very large companies that control the resources to erect high entry barriers, AI adoption in place of humans presents the risk of concentrating the benefits of automation.
Prez Murmu faces ‘repeated’ insults from Congress: Sonia Gandhi’s comments fuel backlash
The BJP was quick to condemn the remarks, calling them “derogatory” and accusing the Congress of disrespecting the President. BJP leaders said that Congress’s “feudal mindset” cannot accept that a tribal woman like Droupadi Murmu achieved the position of President of India.
India's farm sector has clocked robust growth on the back of govt schemes: Economic Survey
The agriculture sector in India has shown robust growth in recent years, averaging 5 per cent annually from FY17 to FY23, demonstrating resilience despite challenges, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25.