When will we know the result of the US Election 2016, when does each state declare, what’s the time difference and how can I watch?

AFTER a marathon campaign the grand finale of the US Presidential election is nearing ever closer.

Voters will decide whether Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump will become the new leader of the free world when polls open across the country on November 8.

And if you fancy watching the election as it happens – here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know.

When will we know the result of the election?

While 120 million people are expected to cast their vote on Tuesday November 8, 2016 – the winner won’t be revealed until the early hours of November 9 due to the sheer size of the country and its six time zones.

In the UK, sleep-deprived viewers will first hear the result at around 4am on Wednesday, November 9.

When does each state declare its results?

Earliest possible time the result will be announced is 4am (UK time) when all polls have closed aside from Alaska – and the result is usually called by TV networks around this time.

The first projection via exit polls will happen at midnight UK time.

The ‘battleground states’, which swing between the two main parties, are where the American election is won and lost.

Here’s a list of when the polls close in some key swing states:

Pennsylvania   - 1am (UK time)