When do you think we'll have a declared winner? (someone gets 270)

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I actually think we will e surprised and have a normal declaration sometime late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning

[WD]

Early Wednesday morning (12AM/1AM) seems to be a possibility. Although I think it could be something on Tuesday night (11PM at the earliest). It really depends on how fast counting is in certain states.

[Panda Express]

The map above is Biden 261. Assuming Florida gets called (most ballots should be in by election night) and assuming the grey will be too close to call(GA/TX/IA/OH)/too many ballots outstanding (probably WI/PA), Biden needs just one of the green states (AZ, NC, MI) to be called to get the election night win.

[Buzz]

Wednesday morning.  Pennsylvania will be called.

[AndyHogan14]

It really depends on how cautious the news outlets want to be. If they go with usual exit polls (adjusted to deal with the increase in mail-in ballots), then there could probably be a projection by midnight here in the west coast. I expect us to have a declaration (unless it tightens significantly between now and election day) by Wednesday morning at the absolute latest.

[Ferguson97]

Thursday officially, but we'll know very early Wednesday

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I'm on Pacific Time, and I think we will know here sometime between midnight and 3AM. I hope I am not being too optimistic.

[Hammy]

Voted a week later but meant to hit Friday--that's the latest point by which we'll know. When the win is official is another story as I expect Trump to drag it out as long as possible.

[Meclazine for Israel]

My prediction:

Biden Win: Drama
Trump Win: Trauma

Does it really make a difference to the media?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

If FL or PA gets called for the opposing party, meaning if Biden wins FL or Trump wins PA

[pbrower2a]

The rules for calling an election are different this year. There will be questions about anything that looks close until  the loser runs out of votes in some key state. Some states will be reporting their absentee ballots on the day of the election and some will put that off until all are in based on a due date for receipt. There will be, for example, military votes that come in late.

It would be reasonable to have the votes from the day of the election and mailed-in ballots on the Election Day. Here is how I would do it:

Ballots received on or before November 2 would be tallied (there would be checks against deceased voters*) but not announced until the polls close on November 3. Election Day votes would be tallied and announced, as well as ballots received by mail on November 3. Those would be unofficial, allowing for some mailed-in ballots postmarked on November 3 or earlier but received within a few days as allowed by law (such as military ballots). When voting closes, then official numbers would be available to media and certified for the relevant bodies.

*I asked how that worked, and the county clerk told me that the clerk reads the obituaries for someone who may have sent in an absentee ballot who subsequently dies. Those obituaries come from the local paper and from area funeral homes.   

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

This is what I think the map will look like at 11 PM EST, after west coast polls close:



There are several routes to victory for Biden at this point, and I think he'll get to 270 by 1 AM or 2 AM, if not before then.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Election night.

[MABA 2020]

Certainly hope we know on election night/morning

[7,052,770]

We'll basically know on Election Night, like we did on the darkest of all days, 11/8/2016.

[Catholics vs. Convicts]

At this point, we will know the winner before sunrise the next day. Could possibly even be before midnight.

[redjohn]

It won't be Tuesday even if Biden wins by double-digits nationally. Calls will be more cautious this cycle, even if Biden is clearly leading by a lot. I'll repeat this line in every thread that we get on this (and I assume we'll continue getting them on a daily basis): We will very clearly know who is favored by the end of 11/3, but the earliest a winner will be projected will be in the early hours of 11/4 ET.

[Stuart98]

We'll know late Tuesday night when Texas is called for Biden. You can take that to the bank.

[Turbo Flame]

Wednesday at the earliest. But it could go beyond that.