Voters may wait days to learn next U.S. president as counting rules vary by state

Voters may not know the next U.S. president on election night, especially in close races. In 2020, Joe Biden was declared the winner days after the election, while Donald Trump won in 2016 early Wednesday morning. Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, could influence the outcome. Election officials aim to report all Election Day votes by 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. on Wednesday, but results depend on other battleground states as well. Each state has different rules for counting ballots. Florida counts early votes before Election Day, while Pennsylvania waits until then to open mail-in ballots. Experts suggest it may take days to determine the winner due to tight margins.