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 AKDT (0400 UTC) / 8:00p ALDT (0500 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 EDT (2300 UTC) / 7:00p CDT (0000 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state are in CDT and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated EDT.

Idaho General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC) / 8:00p PDT (0300 UTC). Local option allows polling places to open at 7 AM. 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.

Indiana General Election & Special Election CD 3: Polls close asynchronously at 6:00p EDT (2200 UTC) / 6:00p CDT (2300 UTC). Although a portion of this state is in CDT, the majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated EDT when the networks feel they can project.

Kansas General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC) / 8:00p CDT (0100 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.

Kentucky General Election: Polls close asynchronously 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.

Maine General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EDT (0000 UTC). Voting places open between 6:00a EDT and 10:00a EDT depending on the size of the town.

Massachusetts General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EDT (0000 UTC). By local option, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m.

Michigan General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p EDT (0000 UTC) / 8:00p CDT (0100 UTC). Relatively small portions of this state are in CDT and so the vast majority of the polls are closed by the time indicated EDT, when the networks feel they can project.

Minnesota General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p CDT (0100 UTC). Voting begins at 10:00 AM in some townships.

Nebraska General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p CDT (0100 UTC) / 7:00p MDT (0100 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 EDT (0000 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 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.

North Carolina General Election: Polls close synchronously at 7:30p EDT (2330 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 CDT (0200 UTC) / 9:00p MDT (0300 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 MDT 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.

Oregon General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 8:00p MDT (0200 UTC) / 8:00p PDT (0300 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. County elections offices are open on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 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.

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

South Dakota General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 7:00p CDT (0000 UTC) / 7:00p MDT (0100 UTC).

Tennessee General Election: Polls close synchronously at 8:00p EDT (0000 UTC) / 7:00p CDT (0000 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.

Texas General Election: Polls close asynchronously at 7:00p CDT (0000 UTC) / 7:00p MDT (0100 UTC). Only the area around El Paso is in MDT, so the vast majority of polls have closed in TX by 7 PM CDT.

Vermont General Election: Polls close synchronously at 7:00p EDT (2300 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 PDT (0300 UTC). Note: As of July 2009, only Pierce County maintains polls, all other counties vote by mail.

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