How US election night could unfold

Here is a guide to how US election night is likely to unfold. In all cases, the time given is when the last polls close in each state

A Board of Election employee prepares mail-in ballots in the 2020 presidential election for counting in Linden, New Jersey (Seth Wenig/AP)

On the night of the US presidential election, November 3, polls will close at different times across the United States, usually on the hour.

As soon as this happens, a state can be “called” by the US news networks for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden.