Notes

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

• (Note ^*1) With synchronized closing, all the polls close at the same GMT/UTC time. When polls close in the advanced local time zone, they will close one hour earlier in the lagging local time zone.
• (Note ^*2) 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.

New Hampshire Republican: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 27 January 2004 at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC) / 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). NEW HAMPSHIRE permits its 13 cities to keep their polls open until 8 PM EDT 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 EDT and the networks have no problem considering this hour as the earliest hour of potential projection.

New Hampshire Democrat: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 27 January 2004 at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC) / 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). NEW HAMPSHIRE permits its 13 cities to keep their polls open until 8 PM EST 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 EST and the networks have no problem considering this hour as the earliest hour of potential projection.

Tennessee Republican: Polls close on Tuesday 10 February 2004 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.

Florida Republican: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 9 March 2004 at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC) / 7:00p CST (0100 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state is in CST and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated EST.

Florida Democrat: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 9 March 2004 at 7:00p EST (0000 UTC) / 7:00p CST (0100 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state is in CST and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated EST.

Texas Democrat: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 9 March 2004 at 7:00p CST (0100 UTC) / 7:00p MST (0200 UTC). Only the area surrounding El Paso is in MST- so the vast majority of the polls have closed in TX by 7 PM CST.

Indiana Democrat: Polls close on Tuesday 4 May 2004 at 6:00p EST (2300 UTC) / 6:00p CDT (2300 UTC). During Daylight Savings Time, the Central Time portions of INDIANA go on Daylight Time while the Eastern Time portions remain on Standard Time, so that the whole State of INDIANA is on the same Time during the Summer.

Indiana Republican: Polls close on Tuesday 4 May 2004 at 6:00p EST (2300 UTC) / 6:00p CDT (2300 UTC). During Daylight Savings Time, the Central Time portions of INDIANA go on Daylight Time while the Eastern Time portions remain on Standard Time, so that the whole State of INDIANA is on the same Time during the Summer.

Kentucky Democrat: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 18 May 2004 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 CDT [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM EDT and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. CDT voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM EDT.

Oregon Republican: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 18 May 2004 at 8:00p PDT (0300 UTC) / 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC). 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 PDT.

Oregon Democrat: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 18 May 2004 at 8:00p PDT (0300 UTC) / 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC). 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 PDT.

Idaho Republican: Polls close asynchronously on Tuesday 25 May 2004 at 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC) / 8:00p PDT (0300 UTC). A sizable part of IDAHO is in PDT but, as the MDT 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 MDT.

South Dakota Democrat: Polls close on Tuesday 1 June 2004 at 8:00p CDT (0100 UTC) / 7:00p MDT (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.

Time zone abbreviations

UCT: Universal Coordinated Time, Greenwich England
EST: Eastern Standard Time, UCT - 5 hours
EDT: Eastern Daylight Time, UCT - 4 hours
CST: Central Standard Time, UCT - 6 hours
CDT: Central Daylight Time, UCT - 5 hours
MST: Mountain Standard Time, UCT - 7 hours
MDT: Mountain Daylight Time, UCT - 6 hours
PST: Pacific Standard Time, UCT - 8 hours
PDT: Pacific Daylight Time, UCT - 7 hours
AKST: Alaska Standard Time, UCT - 9 hours
AKDT: Alaska Daylight Time, UCT - 8 hours
ALST: Aleution Standard Time, UCT - 10 hours
ALDT: Aleution Daylight Time, UCT - 9 hours
HIST: Hawaii Time, UCT - 10 hours
m: midnight
a: AM
p: PM