We’re almost there, America. After months of commercials, texts, and rhetoric, the 2024 U.S. election is finally in the home stretch as Americans (who haven’t already voted) head to the ballot box.
On Tuesday night, the polls will no longer matter. The only numbers that will be focused on are the ones from ballots. And while coverage will be extensive, there are still a lot of questions from Americans awaiting results.
Some 80 million votes have already been cast, with tens of millions more being submitted today. In the end, though, it could all come down to the results from seven swing states.
Whether you’re supporting Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for.
When do polls close and when will the first result projections of the 2024 election be made?
The first polls close in Kentucky at 6:00 p.m. ET – so the first projections, based on exit polls, could come soon after. Georgia and Virginia close voting at 7:00 p.m. ET, but we’re more likely to see projections from Virginia since Georgia is one of the swing states and is likely to be a later call.
North Carolina (another swing state) and Ohio close their polls at 7:30 p.m. ET. By 8:00 p.m. ET, it’s likely that projected victories will be called in several east coast states.
More Western states will close their polls at 9:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET, with California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii all reporting their first results at 11:00 p.m. or later.
When will votes from the swing states be known?
That’s a more complex question. The Harris campaign says it expects results from three swing states — Georgia, Michigan, and North Carolina — on election night, and Georgia has said it expects results by midnight tonight. Wisconsin’s results should be tallied by Wednesday morning.
Arizona and Nevada will likely take a day or two longer. And Pennsylvania, which might be the most important state, could take a while as well.
How long will it take for Associated Press and networks to call a state’s results in the 2024 presidential election?
There’s no set time for how long AP takes before calling a win for a candidate. Based on the 2020 results, though, we can make some estimates.
Four years ago, AP made a projection within one hour for 31 states. Another 15 were called within a day. Swing states took five days or longer, but votes are expected to be tallied a bit faster this year.
Can I watch the 2024 election results for free if I don’t have cable?
Yes, easily. All major networks, along with PBS, will have wall-to-wall coverage of the election results. You can watch those with an over-the-air antenna. Just be sure to test that equipment in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal.
How can I stream the 2024 election results if I don’t have a cable subscription?
You don’t have unlimited options, but it’s pretty close.
Disney+
Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu).
Including Live TV in the bundle, which you’ll need to watch election coverage, bumps the price to $77 per month ($90 with no ads).
Hulu with Live TV
The free trial on this service is no longer offered, as well. It will now cost you $77 per month.
Max
The former HBO Max, owned by CNN’s parent company, will carry election coverage live. Subscriptions start at $10 per month.
YouTubeTV
After up to a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $73.
Sling TV
Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, but the cord-cutting service is offering 50% off of the first month’s bill.
DirecTV Stream
Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $80 per month and up after the free trial option.
Fubo TV
This sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $80 and up, depending on the channels you choose.
Are there other ways to monitor the election results?
It might be harder to escape election coverage than to find it in this connected world. Included among the other options that are working to keep you informed are:
Apple devices
Starting late Tuesday, Apple will keep users updated with developments via its Live Activity feature on newer iPhones and iPads. The feature will show on your lock screen, ensuring you have updates at all times. If your device has a Dynamic Island, you can track results with that as well. You can turn on this feature through Apple News. Just click “Follow the 2024 election live” or open the Election 2024 tab and enable notifications.
DirecTV
The satellite TV service will feature live feeds from FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, and NewsMax, along with detailed statistics like Senate and House breakdowns by party and AP-powered state-by-state Presidential projections on its “Election HQ,” located on channels 71 and 200.
Amazon Prime
Former NBC stalwart Brian Williams will head coverage on Amazon Prime Video beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET. (The channel will be free to anyone, whether they are a Prime member or not.) He’ll be joined by a variety of guests and contributors and could see Williams on the air for as long as seven or eight hours—perhaps more if the race is too close to call.
LG televisions
The manufacturer has launched a “News Hub” on LG Channels, it’s free streaming lineup of channels. From there, viewers can watch local and national news broadcasts from stations including ABC News Live, CNN Headlines, LiveNOW from FOX, NBC News NOW, Scripps News, and more.
BBC
Get an international perspective on the U.S. election starting at 5:40 p.m. ET. The BBC News channel is available in the U.S. on cable TV and is accessible as a 24-7 livestream on BBC.com and the app and across major FAST/CTV platforms.
