As Election Day progresses, we’ll all be looking for the times when we might see some final counts from some states, so we’re providing you with this chart to give you an idea on when we can expect what from where.
Only 10 states provide for the processing of ballots and the counting of absentee ballots prior to Election Day. To be clear: processing ballots means opening the envelopes and prepping them to be counted. Counting means actually tallying the vote, typically by running them through a scanner.
Some states allow just processing the ballots prior to Election Day, and they’ll start counting the votes Election Day, which speeds up the process. Only six states–including the all important swing state of Pennsylvania–allow for processing and counting to begin on Election Day.
Of course, there are a lot of caveats. A number of counties in Pennsylvania have already announced that they’re not going to start to process or count absentee votes until Wednesday morning. North Carolina announced earlier today that they won’t start tallying votes until 45 minutes after polls close because of an electrical outage impacting a number of polling stations.
Some key states–like Florida, North Carolina, Iowa and Arizona–*may* have results tonight, which could portend the outcome.
| State | Polls close (ET) | Early vote processing | Early vote count |
| Alabama | 8 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |
| Alaska | 12 midnight | prior | Election Day |
| Arizona | 9 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Arkansas | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| California | 11 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Colorado | 9 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Connecticut | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Delaware | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Dist of Columbia | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Florida | 7 p.m./Panhandle 8 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Georgia | 7 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Hawaii | 12 midnight | prior | Election Day |
| Idaho | 10 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Illinois | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Indiana | 6 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |
| Iowa | 10 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Kansas | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Kentucky | 6 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Louisiana | 9 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Maine | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Maryland | 8 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Massachusetts | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Michigan | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Minnesota | 9 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Mississippi | 8 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |
| Missouri | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Montana | 10 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Nebraska | 9 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Nevada | 10 p.m. | prior | prior |
| New Hampshire | varies | prior | Election Day |
| New Jersey | 8 p.m. | prior | prior |
| New Mexico | 9 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| New York | 9 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| North Carolina | 7:30 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| North Dakota | 10 p.m. at latest | prior | Election Day |
| Ohio | 7:30 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Oklahoma | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Oregon | None | prior | Election Day |
| Pennsylvania | 8 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |
| Rhode Island | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| South Carolina | 7 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| South Dakota | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Tennessee | 8 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Texas | 8 p.m. | prior | prior |
| Utah | 10 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Vermont | 7 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Virginia | 7 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Washington | 11 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| West Virginia | 8:30 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |
| Wisconsin | 9 p.m. | prior | Election Day |
| Wyoming | 9 p.m. | Election Day | Election Day |