US voters make their choice in historically tight election

Election watchers are likely to have their first glimpse of results once some polls close in Indiana and Kentucky, the states where in-person voting booths shut down first.

The pair are Republican strongholds, though, and may not reveal much about how the close races will pan out.

The first of the important swing states to close its polls is Georgia at 7pm ET. Keep in mind it took more than a fortnight from election night in 2020 for the AP to call the state for Joe Biden, several days after the media outlet had determined he had won enough electoral college votes across other states to become president.

In the six other swing states, polls close in North Carolina at 7:30pm ET, followed by Michigan and Pennsylvania at 8pm ET, Arizona and Wisconsin at 9pm and Nevada at 10pm.

The likelihood of tight contests in these states will probably result in the race calls taking some time, with exit polls being scrutinised in the meantime. Rules vary between states, but if outcomes are close, one or both campaigns could request recounts, delaying the results further.