Today, November the 5th, the 2024 Presidential elections take place and American voters will head to polls to choose their next president.
While election results are sometimes announced just hours after the polls close, this year’s closely contested race may lead to a longer wait for a clear outcome.
In past elections, the winner has often been declared late on election night or early the next morning. However, tight competition between candidates in many states could delay media projections of results.
Democrat Kamala Harris, the sitting vice-president, and Republican Donald Trump, the former president, have been in a close race for weeks.
Close margins could trigger recounts. For instance, in Pennsylvania – akey swing state – a statewide recount is mandatory if the margin between the top candidates is less than 0.5%. In the 2020 election, the margin was just over 1.1%.
Additionally, legal challenges may further complicate the process. Over 100 pre-election lawsuits, mostly filed by Rebublicans, have been brought up focusing on issues like voter eligibility and management of voter rolls.
Potential delays could also arise from any election-related disturbances, particularly at polling stations.
During the 2020 elections, held on November 3, major US TV networks did not declare Joe Biden the winner until the morning of Saturday, November 7, when Pennsylvania results solidified.
However in contrast, when Barack Obama won a second term in the 2012 elections, his victory was projected before midnight on election day.
The next president-elect will officially take office after being inaugurated on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC, marking the 60th presidential inauguration in US history.
The event will include the president’s oath to uphold the Constitution, followed by their inaugural address to the nation,
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