Democrats and Republicans enter Election Night in a battle for the White House that will likely be decided by seven key battleground states controlling 91 electoral votes.
ELECTORAL VOTES NEEDED TO WIN: 270
TOTAL ELECTORAL VOTES: 538
BATTLEGROUND STATES TO WATCH:
Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes)
Michigan (15)
Wisconsin (10)
Arizona (11)
Nevada (6)
North Carolina (15)
Georgia (15)
KEY FACTORS:
Pennsylvania remains the keystone state, with its 19 electoral votes potentially decisive as they were in both 2016 and 2020. While both candidates have paths to victory without Pennsylvania, winning the state significantly simplifies the electoral math.
TIMING TO WATCH:
Early returns from Nash County, North Carolina could provide the night’s first battleground indicator by 10 p.m. ET
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin results often prove crucial but may come late
Arizona’s Apache County, with its significant Native American population, could be decisive in that state’s count
Mail ballot deadlines in some states extend weeks past Election Day, potentially delaying final results in close races
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
Recent presidential races weren’t decided until:
2020: Saturday after Election Day
2016: 2:29 a.m. ET day after election
2012: 11:38 p.m. ET on election night
2008: 11 p.m. ET on election night
REALITY CHECK:
While early results may show clear trends, the race likely won’t be called until well after East Coast polls close. Mail ballot counting rules and potential recounts could extend the timeline, though history shows recounts rarely shift totals by more than 0.03%.
[Story will update throughout election night as results come in]