US Presidential Election: When will polling stations open and close?

The United States is approaching the moment when they will find out who will become the next president and vice president, as voting concludes on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, as well as Republican candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, are preparing to face off for the highest offices in the country.

While many citizens have already sent their ballots by mail or voted in person, those who have not yet done so may be wondering what information they need to know before heading to the polling station, such as what time the polls open. For more detailed information on how to vote, keep reading below.

Voting takes place in various public institutions depending on the location. To find out where you can vote, visit the website iwillvote.com.

Each state has its own opening times for polling stations. For example, Vermont opens as early as 5:00 am Eastern Time, while some states start later, with the latest opening at 12:00 pm Eastern Time. Below is a general schedule of polling station opening times, according to CBS News.

5:00 am Eastern Time

6:00 am Eastern Time

6:30 am Eastern Time

7:00 am Eastern Time

8:00 am Eastern Time

8:30 am Eastern Time

9:00 am Eastern Time

10:00 am Eastern Time

11:00 am Eastern Time

12:00 pm Eastern Time

Each state also has its own closing time. Polling stations begin to close at 7:00 pm Eastern Time, with some of the latest closures happening around midnight for states like Hawaii and Alaska, according to CBS News.

In some cases, the president and vice president are announced on Election Day, but in others, the results may take more than 24 hours. This is due to the necessary time to count all votes, as well as waiting for key critical states that could influence the final result, leaning towards either the Democrats or Republicans