Alabama election results were called soon after polls closed, while Washington, D.C. counting began hours later, according to reports

Alabama called at least some election races within about an hour of polls closing Tuesday, while Washington, D.C., did not begin counting ballots until nearly three hours later, according to Fox News, which said the two jurisdictions reported the same poll-closing deadline.

In Alabama, Fox News reported that the calls were made quickly after polls closed, describing a near-immediate wrap-up of results relative to Washington, D.C.’s timeline. The report described the difference in timing as notable given that both jurisdictions were working from the same stated end-of-voting time.

Fox News also said that Washington, D.C. officials did not start counting ballots until nearly three hours after polls closed. The reporting framed the gap as an administrative sequencing difference rather than a change in when voters were allowed to cast ballots.

Election administration timelines like these can affect when news organizations and campaigns learn outcomes, but they do not necessarily change the underlying vote totals. Calling races depends on a combination of reporting, ballot processing, and election-office procedures for translating counted votes into finalized results.

Fox News did not provide, in the accessible summary, additional official documentation spelling out the specific ballot-processing steps each jurisdiction used at the start of counting or the exact races at issue. Because of that, the extent to which any particular call reflected a full, complete vote count versus early reporting totals could not be independently confirmed from the information provided.

Election officials in each jurisdiction generally maintain their own rules for how quickly ballots are processed, tabulated, and certified. When counties or cities delay counting or release totals later, it can shift the earliest point at which election outcomes are publicly projected or formally announced, even if polls close at the same time across jurisdictions.

After Tuesday’s initial call and early reporting, the next major milestone in both Alabama and Washington, D.C. would be continued vote tabulation, completion of any remaining counting, and any official certification processes required to finalize results. If additional ballots are counted or if early projections change, official canvass and certification mechanisms determine the ultimate certified outcome.