US voters are choosing every member of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate on Tuesday, November 3. Polls will close at different times across the country, and results may not be known immediately, particularly in closely contested races.
The first polling places on the East Coast are due to close at 6 p.m. local time, or midnight in Paris. In western states including California, Oregon and Washington, the last polling places close at 8 p.m. local time, equivalent to 5 a.m. in Paris. Final closures in Hawaii and Alaska are expected one to two hours later.
In the House, a decisive result could produce a clear picture between 11 p.m. and midnight on the East Coast—5 to 6 a.m. Wednesday in Paris. But a tight contest could take several days to settle. Mail ballots can be sent through Election Day and may arrive later, delaying counts in districts decided by only a small number of votes. In 2022, the House results were certified eight days after the election.
Senate results may also begin to take shape during election night, with early attention on battleground states in the Eastern time zone, including North Carolina, Ohio and Maine. Closely watched Texas, Iowa and Kansas are in the Central time zone. Michigan spans both zones.
If control of the Senate comes down to one seat, Alaska could become decisive. The Republican Party is challenging the result there, alleging that Democrats encouraged a candidate with the same name as the Republican candidate to confuse voters. A federal judge rejected the Trump administration’s pre-emptive challenge on Sunday, but Republicans have maintained their objection.
In 2022, it took four days to determine the Senate majority, which went to the Democrats on November 12.
Sources: Le Monde International.