Election 2024: How Can I Track the Official Election Results in Key States on Nov. 5?

We're closing in fast on Election Day 2024, and while news outlets are certainly going to have wall-to-wall coverage of every development, you can cut down on that noise by going straight to the source and getting results from official sites in key states.

Election Day will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and is headlined this year with the race for president between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Like the last election cycle, experts predict a tight race that will come down to results from a handful of key battleground states. Turnout is also anticipated to be high this year, with over 66 million people voting early in the US so far, and states like Georgia already reporting record-breaking numbers.

Read on to find out where you'll be able to find official Election Day updates, and for more, find out how you can see what's on your ballot this year and see if your state still allows early voting.

What are the key battleground states in 2024?

On account of the mechanics of the Electoral College system, it is often the case in recent decades that presidential elections are ultimately decided by a handful of "battleground states," also known as "swing states." These are states with a population more evenly divided between Democratic and Republican voters than most, making it more likely that they could "swing" either way during a presidential election and decide the outcome.

This year, seven states are considered to be the key battlegrounds: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. These are the states whose results will most likely garner the most attention come Election Day.

Where can I get official voting results for the key battleground states?

For each of these states, you'll be able to get Election Day results online from an official state government website, typically the Secretary of State site, but also potentially the state Board of Elections site. Below is where to check results for each battleground state:

When will we know the winner of the 2024 presidential election?

Don't expect to learn final results when the first polls on the East Coast start to close at 6 p.m. ET. In 2020, voting precautions and measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the close nature of the race overall, were highlighted as reasons why it took till the Saturday after Election Day for the result of the presidential race to be called. 

This year, voters are again being cautioned to not expect a firm result by the end of Election Day, Nov. 5, owing largely to the seemingly close nature of the race. The closer an election is in a given state, the longer it takes for enough ballots to be counted to get the final result. While we probably won't wait to know the results till then, states need to certify their election results by Dec. 11.

For more on the election, find out where each candidate stands on the child tax credit and how the election could change the way we use the internet.