The Green Papers
The Green Papers
2023 Poll Closing Times
for Statewide offices and Congress
General Election Chronologically

Primary/Runoff/Special Elections Chronologically
7 November 2023 General Election Alphabetically
7 November 2023 General Election Chronologically

related pages...
Polling Hours All Elections
Polling Hours Primary/Runoff/Special Elections
Polling Hours General Elections


This chart reflects the poll closing times used by the networks and other media outlets on Election Night. There is an "unenforced pledge" to not project a winner in a state until that state's polls have closed (which, to the media, means "most of the state's polls have closed").

Below the chart is an outline of potential difficulties which may occur where a state spans time zones. (Poll closing times are extended for voters still in line when the hour of poll closing has arrived.)


 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htmUTCEasternCentralMountainPacificAlaska
Hawaii
Atlantic
Chamorro
Samoa
Tuesday 7 November 2023
Kentucky (EST) *A
reportedly
2300 UTC6:00p EST5:00p CST4:00p MST3:00p PST2:00p AKST
1:00p HAST
7:00p AST
9:00a ChST
12:00p SST
Kentucky (CST) *A
reportedly
0000 UTC7:00p EST6:00p CST5:00p MST4:00p PST3:00p AKST
2:00p HAST
8:00p AST
10:00a ChST
1:00p SST
Rhode Island0100 UTC8:00p EST7:00p CST6:00p MST5:00p PST4:00p AKST
3:00p HAST
9:00p AST
11:00a ChST
2:00p SST
Mississippi0100 UTC8:00p EST7:00p CST6:00p MST5:00p PST4:00p AKST
3:00p HAST
9:00p AST
11:00a ChST
2:00p SST
Saturday 18 November 2023
Louisiana0200 UTC9:00p EST8:00p CST7:00p MST6:00p PST5:00p AKST
4:00p HAST
10:00p AST
12:00p ChST
3:00p SST
No activity
Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Northern Marianas
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
(no activity)
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htmUTCEasternCentralMountainPacificAlaska
Hawaii
Atlantic
Chamorro
Samoa
 

Notes


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


Kentucky General Election: Polls reportedly 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.

Rhode Island Special General Election: Polls close at 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). Most polls are open at 7am. However, polls may open as late as 9am by location.


Time zone abbreviations

UTC: Coordinated Universal Time (Greenwich England)
AST: Atlantic Standard Time (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), 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
HAST: Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, UTC - 10 hours
HADT: Hawaii-Aleutian Daylight Time (Hawii does not observe daylight time), UTC - 9 hours
ChST: Chamorro Standard Time (Guam, Northern Marianas), UTC + 10 hours
SST: Samoa Standard Time, UTC - 11 hours
m: midnight
a: AM
p: PM


Primary dates marked "presumably" and polling times marked "reportedly" are based on unofficial or estimated data (especially as regards local variations from a jurisdictionwide statutory and/or regulatory standard) and are, thereby, subject to change.


2023 General Election Outline


Modified .