The Green Papers
The Green Papers
2023 Poll Closing Times
for Statewide offices and Congress
Primary/Runoff/Special Elections 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 21 February 2023
Virginia - Special Election House CD 40000 UTC7:00p EST6:00p CST5:00p MST4:00p PST3:00p AKST
2:00p HAST
8:00p AST
10:00a ChST
1:00p SST
Tuesday 16 May 2023
Kentucky - Primary (EDT) *A2200 UTC6:00p EDT
5:00p EST
5:00p CDT4:00p MDT
3:00p MST
3:00p PDT2:00p AKDT
1:00p HADT
12:00p HAST
6:00p AST
8:00a ChST
11:00a SST
Kentucky - Primary (CDT) *A2300 UTC7:00p EDT
6:00p EST
6:00p CDT5:00p MDT
4:00p MST
4:00p PDT3:00p AKDT
2:00p HADT
1:00p HAST
7:00p AST
9:00a ChST
12:00p SST
Tuesday 8 August 2023
Mississippi - Primary0000 UTC8:00p EDT
7:00p EST
7:00p CDT6:00p MDT
5:00p MST
5:00p PDT4:00p AKDT
3:00p HADT
2:00p HAST
8:00p AST
10:00a ChST
1:00p SST
Tuesday 5 September 2023
Rhode Island - Special Primary House CD 10000 UTC8:00p EDT
7:00p EST
7:00p CDT6:00p MDT
5:00p MST
5:00p PDT4:00p AKDT
3:00p HADT
2:00p HAST
8:00p AST
10:00a ChST
1:00p SST
Utah - Special Primary for CD 20200 UTC10:00p EDT
9:00p EST
9:00p CDT8:00p MDT
7:00p MST
7:00p PDT6:00p AKDT
5:00p HADT
4:00p HAST
10:00p AST
12:00p ChST
3:00p SST
Saturday 14 October 2023
Louisiana - Open Primary0100 UTC9:00p EDT
8:00p EST
8:00p CDT7:00p MDT
6:00p MST
6:00p PDT5:00p AKDT
4:00p HADT
3:00p HAST
9:00p AST
11:00a ChST
2:00p SST
Saturday 18 November 2023
Louisiana - General/Runoff (Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer)0200 UTC9:00p EST8:00p CST7:00p MST6:00p PST5:00p AKST
4:00p HAST
10:00p AST
12:00p ChST
3:00p SST
Tuesday 21 November 2023
Utah - Special Election House CD 2
reportedly
0300 UTC10:00p EST9:00p CST8:00p MST7:00p PST6:00p AKST
5:00p HAST
11:00p AST
1:00p ChST
4:00p 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
Vermont
Virgin Islands
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 Primary: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 16 May 2023 at 6:00p EDT (2200 UTC) / 6:00p CDT (2300 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 Primary: Polls close on Tuesday 5 September 2023 at 8:00p EDT (0000 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 .