The American people are set to vote in the 2024 general election and choose their 47th president on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Nearly 186.5 million eligible voters will not only vote for president, but also vote for various federal, state and local positions.

Here’s everything you need to know about polling time, key states and the vote counting process.

When do polls open and close on election day?

Due to the different time zones in the states, the opening and closing time of the polls is different in different areas.

In a country with six time zones, the earliest polls will open at select Vermont locations on the East Coast at 5 a.m. ET.

In Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, voting will begin at 6 a.m. ET, while North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia will begin voting at 6:30 a.m. ET.

Most states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Florida, will begin voting between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET.

Meanwhile, in Hawaii, polls will open at 12:00 PM ET, which is 7:00 AM local time.

Most polling places will be closed from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM ET, but in Hawaii, voting will continue until 12:00 PM ET and in Alaska until 1:00 AM ET.

Key states to watch in the 2024 election

The seven swing states will decide whether Donald Trump will serve a second term or whether Kamala Harris will become the first female US president.

Key states to watch in the 2024 presidential election are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.