How the vote count will be done in the seven swing states and why the count could last several days

Each state follows different methodologies when counting votes. This will be the count in the seven states considered decisive, according to the cnn.

• Georgia: in this State, early votes and postal votes will be counted in the early afternoon, after the polls close (at midnight, mainland Portugal time). Smaller, rural counties are expected to report their counts sooner than counties in large urban areas. The final result of the State should be known this afternoon.
• North Carolina: in this State, where the polls close at twelve thirty (Portuguese time), the first votes to be counted are those sent by mail. In-person voting will follow, followed by early voting. The final result of the State should be known this afternoon, although it is not certain, due to the effects of Hurricane Helene.
• Pennsylvania: It is the largest in the swing states and there is a state law that prevents mail-in votes from starting to be counted before the polls close. Only at 1 in the morning, when the polls close, will all the votes be counted, which could delay the count and extend it for several days, as happened in 2020.
• Michigan: in this State (whose polling stations close between 1 and 2 in the morning) the count is not expected to end this afternoon. Votes in urban Detroit are typically not fully counted until the day after the election.
• Arizona: In this state, votes are not reported until one hour after the polls close at 2 a.m. The first votes to be counted will be early votes and mail-in votes. The count is expected to last several days.
• Wisconsin: Although this state typically reports nearly all results on election night, some large counties (particularly in urban Milwaukee) are not expected to complete counting mail-in ballots until Wednesday, which could delay the announcement of the vote. winner, if the vote for Trump and Harris is close.
• Snowfall: In this state, votes are not reported before all polling stations have closed. Voting can last several days, as Nevada accepts mail-in votes until the 9th.