US elections: When will we get exit polls for THESE key states – time, other details | All you need to know

US Election 2024: The 2024 elections in the United States are scheduled to be held on November 5 (Tuesday) and the country is bracing up for one of the closest contests in its history. The 2024 US presidential election candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are pitted against each other on a knife-edge. 

During this election year, the president and vice president will be elected, and all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives along with 34 seats of the US Senate will be contested to determine the membership of the 119th US Congress. 

Approximately 244 million people are eligible to vote in the upcoming US presidential election next month. In 2020, about two-thirds of these eligible voters participated. 

The outcome of this presidential election will hinge less on the national voter turnout and more on a few thousand voters in key battleground or swing states. The winner will serve four years in the White House starting from their inauguration on 20 Jan 2025.

An exit poll is a survey that determines how voters voted in an election and their reasons for doing so. It has two parts: early voting, which occurs in person in the weeks leading up to the election, and mail voting, which occurs on election day.

Exit polls for the US presidential election will start to be reported after 5:00 pm ET. News organisations can release state-by-state information for all states but can’t call a winner until all votes are counted in that state. 

In battleground states, exit polls aren’t used to predict outcomes until there are sufficient results.

The US elections have seven swing states, the ones that do not favour any one party over the other.

Arizona (Electoral Votes: 11)

Arizona has become a key battleground amid the national immigration and abortion access debates. The state recently saw heating debates over abortion access, highlighted by state Republicans’ unsuccessful attempt to reinstate a near-total ban on abortions from 160 years ago.

Georgia (Electoral Votes: 16)

Georgia has a significant African-American population, making up about a third of its residents, which played a crucial role in Biden’s victory in 2020. This demographic’s support is believed to have been instrumental in flipping the state blue.

North Carolina (Electoral Votes: 16)

Since Harris took the lead on the Democratic ticket, polling in North Carolina has become more contested. This shift may influence Trump’s decision to hold his first outdoor rally there since the assassination attempt in July.

Watch | US Election 2024: US Presidential Election In Final Stretch

Pennsylvania (Electoral Votes: 19)

In the 2020 election, Pennsylvania played a key role in helping Joe Biden secure the presidency and reclaim the “blue wall.” Historically, Democratic candidates have had significant success in the state until Donald Trump’s win in 2016.

Nevada (Electoral Votes: 6)

Despite having the fewest electoral votes among the seven swing states, Nevada remains crucial in presidential elections. Biden’s 2020 victory was the fourth straight win for Democratic candidates in the Silver State.

Wisconsin (Electoral Votes: 10)

Analysts believe that third-party candidates could significantly influence outcomes in marginal states like Wisconsin, especially, as they campaign against the dominant two parties.

Michigan (Electoral votes: 15)

Michigan has largely leaned Democratic in recent decades, yet it has often served as a battleground. Alongside Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, it formed a “blue wall” for Biden in 2020.

In case Kamala Harris or Donald Trump win overwhelmingly, the result shall be clear within some hours. But in a tight competition, more time will elapse, and days or even weeks may pass.

In 2020, the result was called for Joe Biden four days after the November 3 ballot, after Pennsylvania’s result was confirmed. The state provided Biden with 20 Electoral College votes, taking him over the 270 required to win. In 2016, Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump the morning after the election.

(With inputs from agencies)