Live election 2024 updates in the Philadelphia region and the focus on Pennsylvania

It's go-time as elections commission workers begin the process of counting ballots.

They are opening envelopes, checking for dates and signatures, flattening ballots and then sending them in to be scanned and counted.

It's a process all happening inside Philadelphia's City Commissioners Election Warehouse -- a process our democracy is counting on.

"We are going to continue to work 24/7 until all ballots get counted," said city commissioner Seth Bluestein.

The canvassing started at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. As the polls opened across the city, the employees at the elections warehouse began opening mail-in ballots.

Election officials have begun opening envelopes, checking for dates and signatures, flattening ballots so they can be scanned and counted.

"We want to hear from every Philadelphian, whether you vote by mail, or in person. We want to hear from you," said fellow city commissioner Omar Sabir.

With more than 230,000 mail-in ballots issued to eligible voters in Philadelphia, about 190,000 have been received by the board of elections for counting.

ALSO SEE: Pennsylvania Mail-In Ballot Tracker

More will also be collected at 8 p.m. from 34 "Green" Board of Elections Drop Boxes across the city.

At the same time, votes cast at polling locations will also start to come in waves for counting and eventual certification.

They could stretch into Thursday, with hundreds of elections employees working around the clock in three shifts to count each ballot received.

"If you don't know the results of the election when you go to sleep tonight, it's not the sign of something nefarious. What it is, though, is a sign that the election workers are doing their job, and they are focused on doing it well. We're going to make sure every single eligible ballot gets counted correctly," Bluestein said.

There are 40,000 mail-in ballots that have not been returned in the City of Philadelphia.

If you have a mail-in ballot that you have not returned, fill it out and find a green drop box, do NOT place it in the mail today. You can also go to your polling place- turn in your unfinished mail-in ballot and request a provisional ballot.

The U.S. Senate race in Delaware carries the potential of a historic first for residents and their congressional delegation in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat, faces Republican Eric Hansen and independent Michael Katz in Tuesday's Senate contest.

Should Blunt Rochester win, she would become the first woman and first Black person to represent Delaware in the Senate. Only three other Black women have served in the Senate, two of whom were elected and one who was appointed.

Katz, a physician who served one term in the Delaware state Senate, has refused to accept outside campaign donations.

The candidates are vying to fill the seat left vacant by Democrat Tom Carper.

READ MORE: HERE

Delaware voters are poised to make history as they pick the next occupant of the state's lone seat in the U.S. House.

Democrat state Sen. Sarah McBride would become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress should she defeat Republican businessman John Whalen III on Tuesday.

With significant advantages in party registration numbers and campaign contributions, McBride is considered the favorite in the House race. Whalen is a construction company owner and retired state trooper who has little name recognition and is making his first bid for public office. As of mid-October, he reported raising less than $7,000 in campaign contributions.

Whalen declined to appear with McBride for a debate last month at the University of Delaware. His campaign platform centers on stopping illegal immigration at the U.S. southern border, reducing government spending and balancing the federal budget.

Democrats have held Delaware's U.S. House seat since 2011.

READ MORE: HERE

Elon Musk, the world's richest person, has built a vast campaign machine in support of former President Donald Trump, including a multi-billion dollar door-knocking operation, a social media megaphone and a $1 million sweepstakes for battleground voters.

Despite its wide-ranging scope, the operation holds a clear focus: Pennsylvania.

It's unclear, however, whether Musk's splashy, deep-pocketed venture will meaningfully impact the outcome of the race in the critical state, according to experts in campaign finance and electoral politics who spoke with ABC News.

While Musk's campaign may impact the outcome in Pennsylvania, it's ultimately impossible to determine the precise effect in the fog of a hectic campaign season, the experts said.

"There's absolutely no way to know," Robin Kolodny, a professor of political science at Philadelphia-based Temple University. He pointed to the difficulty of isolating Musk's impact amid a slew of other variables. But the outcome of the election may shape the way that observers look back on Musk's campaign.

"We'll find out," Kolodny said.

READ MORE: HERE