There are many permutations of the U.S. presidential election — some messier than others.

Joe Biden’s lead in national polls suggests he has a number of paths to victory. If states like Florida or Georgia break for him early on, then the Trump campaign could be in for a long night.

The task for President Trump is to close those paths. If he can hold Florida and quickly add the likes of Arizona and North Carolina, then the signs could point to re-election.

And then there is a third scenario. If fast-counting states are too close to call immediately and battlegrounds in the Midwest take a long time to tally votes, then a long wait for a final result — and bitter, lengthy legal challenges — could be on the cards.

We speak to Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The Times, on the likely plotlines for election night.

Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times, walks us through possible election night scenarios.

In addition to our regular show on Election Day, The Daily is going LIVE tomorrow afternoon. Spend your Election Day with Michael Barbaro and Carolyn Ryan, deputy managing editor at The Times, as they call our correspondents for the latest on a history-making day.

Tune in from 4 - 8 p.m. Eastern, only on nytimes.com/thedaily. Click here for more information.

Background reading:

The Trump and Biden campaigns are intensifying their efforts in Pennsylvania — an increasingly critical state.
How long will counting take? We asked officials about their election results processes and about what share of the vote they expect to be finished by Wednesday.
Americans are pushing through challenges like the pandemic and long lines to cast their ballot. The United States is on course to surpass 150 million votes for the first time.

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A Viewer’s Guide to Election Night

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