Election day is finally here, but that's just the beginning as the wait for the votes to be counted and the results to be announced begins.

It's impossible to know exactly when each state will finish counting votes, because that's determined by its individual laws and the different ways its residents tend to vote – such as how many people cast mail-in ballots that are due to be counted Verification requirements take longer, for example.

It is well known that Florida, Georgia and North Carolina report their results relatively quickly, while Arizona, Nevada and California generally take longer.

Newsweek examined how quickly states completed their counts in past elections. Here's what you need to know to get a better idea of ​​when the results will be called. It is important to be aware of voice illusions. This is the case where an ongoing vote count shows that a candidate receives a higher percentage of the votes than he will ultimately receive after all votes have been counted.

Swing states

Arizona

In the 2022 midterm elections, Arizona reported 71 percent of votes within 24 hours of 6 p.m. ET on Election Day, according to poll aggregator 538's guide.

Polls in the state close at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Results will not be announced until an hour later when all districts have reported their results. Counties are then expected to release the results of mail-in ballots received before Election Day. Then, mail-in ballots received on or after Election Day are counted over what election officials estimate is a 10- to 13-day period.

Georgia

Georgia is generally known for releasing its results quickly. According to 538's guide, Georgia had 100 percent of votes reported within 24 hours of 6 p.m. on Election Day in the 2022 midterm elections.

Counties are required to report early and absentee ballots received before Election Day by 8:00 p.m. ET. Then, Election Day votes should be announced between 8:00 p.m. and midnight ET, with counties required to complete counting mail-in ballots by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Michigan

According to 538's guide, Michigan had 98 percent of votes reported within 24 hours of 6 p.m. on Election Day in 2022, but that could take less time this year because new laws allow the state to start processing mail-in ballots ahead to begin on Election Day, although not all counties will have changed their procedures to take advantage of this option.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m. ET in most of the state and at 9:00 p.m. ET in some parts of the Upper Peninsula.

Nevada

In Nevada, 82 percent of votes were reported within 24 hours of 6 p.m. on Election Day 2022, 538 reported.

Once all voters in line have cast their ballots, counties begin releasing all votes counted up to that point – 12:42 a.m. ET in 2022. Although this often makes up a large portion of the final vote, it can still take days for officials to count all mail-in ballots.

Polls close at 10:00 p.m. ET.

North Carolina

North Carolina, like Georgia, has a reputation for announcing results quickly. According to 538, North Carolina had 98 percent of its votes counted within 24 hours of 6 p.m. on Election Day in 2022.

The majority of voting in North Carolina is early voting and absentee ballots, which are expected to be reported between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET. Election Day voting will then take place on Wednesday between 8:30 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. ET. Additional votes, including those cast as a result of voters in other counties affected by Hurricane Helene, will be counted over the next 10 days.

Polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Pennsylvania

According to 538, about 97 percent of voters were registered as of 6 p.m. ET the day after Election Day in 2022.

Although mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania cannot be processed until Election Day, counties are not allowed to stop the counting of those votes once it has begun.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is another state that doesn't allow mail-in ballots to be processed until Election Day, and there are specific rules about when jurisdictions can release their counts, with some delaying the result as they did in 2020.

This wasn't a problem in 2022, when fewer people voted by mail, meaning 98 percent of votes were counted by 6 p.m. the day after Election Day, according to 538.

The election ends at 9:00 p.m. ET, with initial results expected shortly thereafter.

California and Florida

Florida is one of the fastest states to count ballots, with 100 percent of votes reported by 6 p.m. the day after Election Day in 2022. Florida reports its early votes and mail-in ballots cast during the early voting period within 30 minutes of poll close, which occurs at 7:00 p.m. ET in most states and 8:00 p.m. in the Panhandle.

These votes typically make up the majority of the total vote, with votes being released in 45-minute increments on Election Day until they are all counted.

In contrast, it is known to take longer in California, where only 50 percent of votes were reported by 6 p.m. the day after Election Day in 2022, according to 538.

This is primarily because mail-in ballots cannot arrive until November 12th and are still considered valid if they are postmarked by Election Day.

By law, counties have until Dec. 5 to complete their counts, but this typically happens within two weeks of Election Day. Polls in California close at 11 p.m. ET.

Other states

• Alabama: All votes should be counted by election night
• Alaska: It has until Nov. 20 to tabulate its ranked-choice voting system.
• Arkansas: All votes should be counted by election night
• Colorado: Election officials estimate it could take until the Friday or Monday after Election Day to complete the count
• Connecticut: Most votes should be counted by election night
• Delaware: Results expected by midnight ET.
• Hawaii: Results will be announced after polls close at midnight ET, again at 3:30 a.m. and then once all mail-in ballots have been processed
• Idaho: Counting is expected to be completed by the end of election night
• Illinois: While most early ballots and early-arriving mail-in ballots will be counted by the end of Election Night, mail-in ballots received after Election Day have until Nov. 19 to do so.
• Indiana: Results will be released at 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and midnight local time. Counties that have not yet completed their counts must then report results at 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday and every hour thereafter.
• Iowa: All results are expected by the end of election night.
• Kansas: Most results are expected to be announced by the end of election night.
• Kentucky: Most counties are expected to report results by midnight on Election Day.
• Louisiana: Counting typically occurs at 1 a.m. ET, shortly after the end of Election Day.
• Maine: Most results should be available by the end of election night.
• Maryland: Counties have until November 15 to continue counting mail-in ballots.
• Massachusetts: Results will decline as the week progresses.
• Minnesota: Most of the counting is expected to be completed by Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Mississippi: The deadline for postmarked mail-in ballots is November 13th.
• Missouri: Most results are expected to be available by midnight.
• Montana: Counting is expected to begin Wednesday.
• Nebraska: The majority of votes should be counted on election night.
• New Hampshire: While most counts were expected to be announced during election night, they will likely continue into Wednesday.
• New Jersey: The deadline for postmarked mail-in ballots is November 11th.
• New Mexico: Most results should be available by 2 a.m. ET Wednesday.
• New York: The deadline for postmarked mail-in ballots is November 12th.
• North Dakota: Most votes will be counted on election night, but correctly postmarked mail-in ballots must arrive by November 18th.
• Ohio: Most votes will be counted on election night, but correctly postmarked mail-in ballots can arrive by November 9th.
• Oklahoma: Almost all ballots should be counted by 1 a.m. ET Wednesday.
• Oregon: The state will accept correctly postmarked ballots received by November 12th.
• Rhode Island: The first results were expected to be released around 8:15 p.m. ET, but some mail-in ballots won't be counted until Wednesday.
• South Carolina: Most results should be counted on election night.
• South Dakota: The count should be completed by Wednesday morning.
• Tennessee: Initial results will be released around 8:30 p.m. ET and 95 percent of counts should be reported by 11:15 p.m. ET.
• Texas: Most of the counting is expected to be completed within 24 hours of Election Day.
• Utah: Correctly postmarked ballots must arrive by November 12-19, depending on the county.
• Vermont: Most of the count is expected to be completed by midnight.
• Virginia: Correctly postmarked mail-in ballots must arrive by November 8th.
• Washington: Correctly postmarked mail-in ballots must arrive by November 26th.
• West Virginia: Correctly postmarked mail-in ballots must arrive by November 12th.
• Wyoming: Most of the count should be reported by 2 a.m. ET Wednesday.