When can we expect results for US election 2020?

Follow our live coverage of the US elections here. 

Americans are heading to polls today to elect the 46th president of the United States.

A tally by the US Elections Project at the University of Florida estimated that more than 95 million votes were already cast by Monday through mail-in ballot – a harbinger of what is expected to be the highest turnout in modern times.

The record-breaking number is equal to 69% of the entire voter turnout for the 2016 election.

The sharp increase in mail-in and early in-person voting is largely prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 230,000 people in the United States and continues unabated in many US states.

Election Day

The presidential elections are always held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year that date is November 3.

Millions of Americans, who did not send mail-in ballot or participate in early voting, are expecting to cast their votes today. The polling timings vary from state to state but most polls open at 6:00am. The voting will last till 9:00pm.

Technically, the US citizens are not voting for the presidential candidates but for “electors” who are typically party loyalists who pledge support to the nominee who gets the most votes in their state.

There are 538 electors in total – corresponding to 435 Congressmen, 100 Senators and three additional electors from the District of Columbia. Any federal official, elected or appointed, is prohibited by the US Constitution from being an elector.

Since the number of electoral votes is equal to its strength in Senate and Representatives, each state gets at least three. Except for Maine and Nebraska, all states have a “winner-takes-all-system” – so the one with the majority wins all electoral votes.

To win an election, the presidential candidate needs a minimum of 270 electoral votes.

Election results timetable

Some key states allow postal ballots to be sent in late - Pennsylvania and North Carolina by November 6, Minnesota and Nevada by November 10, and Ohio by November 13.

From November 10, each state will begin to certify results. With the exception of California, every state is required to complete certification and resolve all disputes by December 8.

US federal law requires electors to meet in their respective states and formally send their vote to Congress on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. This year that date is December 14.

Although some new networks and pollsters will begin publishing projected results later today, the official tally will be announced once mail-in ballots are counted.

In a nutshell, the official result of the election will not be known until sometime after the Election Day.

With additional input from Reuters and The Telegraph.