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2012 Poll Closing Times
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Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm UTC Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Alaska Hawaii
Tuesday 6 November 2012
Northern Marianas0900
UTC
4:00a
EST
3:00a
CST
2:00a
MST
1:00a
PST
12:00a
AKST
 
 
Guam1000
UTC
5:00a
EST
4:00a
CST
3:00a
MST
2:00a
PST
1:00a
AKST
12:00a
AleutST
12:00a
HIST
Puerto Rico2100
UTC
4:00p
EST
3:00p
CST
2:00p
MST
1:00p
PST
12:00p
AKST
11:00a
AleutST
11:00a
HIST
Virgin Islands2300
UTC
6:00p
EST
5:00p
CST
4:00p
MST
3:00p
PST
2:00p
AKST
1:00p
AleutST
1:00p
HIST
Indiana (EST) *A2300
UTC
6:00p
EST
5:00p
CST
4:00p
MST
3:00p
PST
2:00p
AKST
1:00p
AleutST
1:00p
HIST
Kentucky (EST) *A
Florida (EST) *A0000
UTC
7:00p
EST
6:00p
CST
5:00p
MST
4:00p
PST
3:00p
AKST
2:00p
AleutST
2:00p
HIST
Georgia
South Carolina
Vermont *S
Virginia
Indiana (CST) *A0000
UTC
7:00p
EST
6:00p
CST
5:00p
MST
4:00p
PST
3:00p
AKST
2:00p
AleutST
2:00p
HIST
Kentucky (CST) *A
North Carolina *S0030
UTC
7:30p
EST
6:30p
CST
5:30p
MST
4:30p
PST
3:30p
AKST
2:30p
AleutST
2:30p
HIST
Ohio
West Virginia
Connecticut0100
UTC
8:00p
EST
7:00p
CST
6:00p
MST
5:00p
PST
4:00p
AKST
3:00p
AleutST
3:00p
HIST
Delaware
District of Columbia
Maine *S
Maryland
Massachusetts *S
Michigan (EST) *A
New Hampshire *S
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island *S
Tennessee (EST) *S
Alabama0100
UTC
8:00p
EST
7:00p
CST
6:00p
MST
5:00p
PST
4:00p
AKST
3:00p
AleutST
3:00p
HIST
Florida (CST) *A
Illinois
Mississippi
Missouri
Oklahoma
South Dakota (CST) *A
Tennessee (CST) *S
Texas (CST) *A
Arkansas0130
UTC
8:30p
EST
7:30p
CST
6:30p
MST
5:30p
PST
4:30p
AKST
3:30p
AleutST
3:30p
HIST
New York0200
UTC
9:00p
EST
8:00p
CST
7:00p
MST
6:00p
PST
5:00p
AKST
4:00p
AleutST
4:00p
HIST
Kansas (CST) *A0200
UTC
9:00p
EST
8:00p
CST
7:00p
MST
6:00p
PST
5:00p
AKST
4:00p
AleutST
4:00p
HIST
Louisiana
Michigan (CST) *A
Minnesota *S
Nebraska (CST) *S
Wisconsin
Arizona0200
UTC
9:00p
EST
8:00p
CST
7:00p
MST
6:00p
PST
5:00p
AKST
4:00p
AleutST
4:00p
HIST
Colorado
Nebraska (MST) *S
New Mexico
South Dakota (MST) *A
Texas (MST) *A
Wyoming
Iowa0300
UTC
10:00p
EST
9:00p
CST
8:00p
MST
7:00p
PST
6:00p
AKST
5:00p
AleutST
5:00p
HIST
North Dakota (CST) *A
Idaho (MST) *A0300
UTC
10:00p
EST
9:00p
CST
8:00p
MST
7:00p
PST
6:00p
AKST
5:00p
AleutST
5:00p
HIST
Kansas (MST) *A
Montana *S
Oregon (MST) *A
Utah
Nevada0300
UTC
10:00p
EST
9:00p
CST
8:00p
MST
7:00p
PST
6:00p
AKST
5:00p
AleutST
5:00p
HIST
North Dakota (MST) *A0400
UTC
11:00p
EST
10:00p
CST
9:00p
MST
8:00p
PST
7:00p
AKST
6:00p
AleutST
6:00p
HIST
California0400
UTC
11:00p
EST
10:00p
CST
9:00p
MST
8:00p
PST
7:00p
AKST
6:00p
AleutST
6:00p
HIST
Idaho (PST) *A
Oregon (PST) *A
Washington *S
Hawaii0400
UTC
11:00p
EST
10:00p
CST
9:00p
MST
8:00p
PST
7:00p
AKST
6:00p
AleutST
6:00p
HIST
Alaska (AKST) *A0500
UTC
12:00a
EST
11:00p
CST
10:00p
MST
9:00p
PST
8:00p
AKST

7:00p
AleutST
7:00p
HIST
American Samoa0500
UTC
12:00a
EST
11:00p
CST
10:00p
MST
9:00p
PST
8:00p
AKST
7:00p
AleutST
7:00p
HIST
Alaska (AleutST) *A0600
UTC
1:00a
EST
12:00a
CST
11:00p
MST
10:00p
PST
9:00p
AKST
8:00p
AleutST
8:00p
HIST
 
 

Notes

Polling places in states that span multiple time zones will close either synchronously or asynchronously.

  • (Note *S) With synchronized closing, all the polls close at the same GMT/UTC time. For states with multiple time zones-- when polls close in the advanced local time zone, they will close one hour earlier in the lagging local time zone.
  • (Note *A) With asynchronous closing, the polls close at different GMT/UTC times in different parts of the state. Media outlets might decide to declare a winner before all the polls have closed.

Alaska General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p AKST (0500 UTC) / 8:00p AleutST (0600 UTC). Alaska Time covers most of the state except for the Aleutian Islands west of Umnak Island (approximately half of Aleutian Islands). The media considers Alaska's polls to close at 8 PM Alaska Time and, thus, considers the State "callable" after that hour.

Florida General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC) / 7:00p CST (0100 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state are in CT and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated ET.

Idaho General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MST (0300 UTC) / 8:00p PST (0400 UTC). Local option allows polling places to open at 7 AM. A sizable part of IDAHO is in PT but, as the MT section is the much more populated portion of the state, the networks consider that "most of the polls in IDAHO" are closed by 8 PM MT.

Indiana General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 6:00p EST (2300 UTC) / 6:00p CST (0000 UTC). Although a portion of this state is in CT, the majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated ET when the networks feel they can project.

Kansas General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MST (0300 UTC) / 8:00p CST (0200 UTC). State law requires that polling places open at 7 AM and close at 7 PM on Election Day; however, the county may open the polls earlier and close them later. Polls must be open at least 12 continuous hours. They may open no earlier than 6 AM local time and close no later than 8 PM local time. Most polls in the State close at either 7 pm or 8 pm local time in the Central Time Zone by local option; the remaining polls in the Mountain Time Zone close at either 6 pm or 7 pm local time by local option. The time noted as the "official" poll closing time is the statutory poll closing time and is that at which the networks generally consider the polls in the State to have closed. In 2012, most polls will be closed by 7pm local time.

Kentucky General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 6:00p EST (2300 UTC) / 6:00p CST (0000 UTC). Poll closing time could be rather problematic in KENTUCKY. A large chunk of the state is in Central Time [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM Eastern Time and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. Central Time voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM Eastern Time.

Maine General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). Voting places open between 6:00a Eastern Time and 10:00a Eastern Time depending on the size of the town.

Massachusetts General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). By local option, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m.

Michigan General Election and Special Election House CD 11: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC) / 8:00p CST (0200 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state are in Central Time and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated Eastern Time, when the networks feel they can project.

Minnesota General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p CST (0200 UTC). Voting begins at 10:00 AM in some townships.

Montana General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p MST (0300 UTC). A polling place with less than 400 registered voters must be open at least from noon to 8 p.m. or until all registered electors have voted.

Nebraska General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p CST (0200 UTC) / 7:00p MST (0200 UTC). The polls open and close at the same GMT/UTC time, that is, polls open and close at a particular local time in the advanced time zone and open and close one hour earlier local time in the lagging time zone.

New Hampshire General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). Polls must open by 11 AM however most open between 7 AM and 8 AM. NEW HAMPSHIRE permits its 13 cities to keep their polls open until 8 PM Eastern Time by local option- however, as there ARE only 13 cities among New Hampshire's 234 County subdivisions [the 221 "non-cities", of course, being the proverbial New England Town(ship)], the fact is that the vast majority of NH's polls have closed by 7 PM Eastern Time and the networks have no problem considering this hour as the earliest hour of potential projection.

North Carolina General Election: Polls close synchronously at 7:30p EST (0030 UTC). In extraordinary circumstances, the county board of elections may direct that the polls remain open until 8:30 p.m.

North Dakota General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 9:00p CST (0300 UTC) / 9:00p MST (0400 UTC). Voting places open between 7:00a to 12:00n and remain open until 7:00p to 9:00p depending on the size of the town. The western half of the state is in Mountain Time but that is, of course, the more sparsely populated part of the state, so it is not as problematic to the networks as might be otherwise suggested by simple geography. In 2012, polls will close at 8pm CST in Cass County and at 7pm CST or 7pm MST in most other polling places.

Oregon General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MST (0300 UTC) / 8:00p PST (0400 UTC). Oregon votes by mail. Ballots must be in the hands of election workers or in an official drop-off location no later than 8 PM local time. OREGON is the reverse of the norm because the by far largest portion of the state is in the lagging time zone and the networks have no choice but to not consider the OREGON polls closed until 8 PM Pacific.

Rhode Island General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). Polls open 7a to 9a by location.

South Dakota General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 7:00p CST (0100 UTC) / 7:00p MST (0200 UTC).

Tennessee General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC) / 7:00p CST (0100 UTC). The polls close at the same GMT/UTC time, that is, polls close at a particular local time in the advanced time zone and close one hour earlier local time in the lagging time zone. Poll opening times are set by county.

Texas General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 7:00p CST (0100 UTC) / 7:00p MST (0200 UTC). Only the area around El Paso is in Mountain Time, so the vast majority of polls have closed in Texas by 7 PM Central Time.

Vermont General Election: Polls close synchronously at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC). Polls may open as early as 5:00a and no later than 10:00a as set by the Board of Civil Authority.

Washington General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p PST (0400 UTC). Washington votes by mail. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, or dropped off in a designated ballot box by 8 p.m. local time on Election Day.

 
 

Time zone abbreviations


UTC: Coordinated Universal Time (Greenwich England)
AST: Atlantic Standard Time, UTC - 4 hours
EST: Eastern Standard Time, UTC - 5 hours
EDT: Eastern Daylight Time, UTC - 4 hours
CST: Central Standard Time, UTC - 6 hours
CDT: Central Daylight Time, UTC - 5 hours
MST: Mountain Standard Time, UTC - 7 hours
MDT: Mountain Daylight Time, UTC - 6 hours
PST: Pacific Standard Time, UTC - 8 hours
PDT: Pacific Daylight Time, UTC - 7 hours
AKST: Alaska Standard Time, UTC - 9 hours
AKDT: Alaska Daylight Time, UTC - 8 hours
ALST: Aleution Standard Time, UTC - 10 hours
ALDT: Aleution Daylight Time, UTC - 9 hours
HIST: Hawaii Time, UTC - 10 hours
MPST: Northern Marianas Time, UTC + 10 hours
GUST: Guam Time, UTC + 10 hours
VIST: Virgin Islands Time, UTC - 4 hours
ASST: American Samoa Time, UTC - 11 hours
m: midnight
a: AM
p: PM

 
 


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