US presidential election 2024: Donald Trump wins White House in stunning comeback
It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, says Trump
Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, US media announced Wednesday, beating Democrat Kamala Harris to complete a stunning political comeback. Trump's victory was called by multiple television networks. Check for updates:
Trump wins White House in stunning comeback
Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, media said Wednesday, defeating Kamala Harris in a stunning political comeback that will send shock waves across the world.
The polarising Republican's victory, following one of the most hostile campaigns in modern US history, was all the more remarkable given an unprecedented criminal conviction, a near-miss assassination attempt, and warnings from a former chief of staff that he is a "fascist."
"It's a political victory that our country has never seen before," Trump told a victory party in Florida.
Vice President Harris, who only entered the race in July after President Joe Biden dropped out, ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Trump's inflammatory messaging and use of openly racist and sexist tropes.
But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration and championing of isolationism found their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economy and eager for a change from the Biden years.
The campaign pointed to a nail-bitingly close contest, but the results came surprisingly fast, delivering a crushing victory that included wins in the swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Trump is the first president in more than a century to win a non-consecutive second term.
Trump claims victory over Harris
Donald Trump claimed victory and pledged to "heal" the country Wednesday as results put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a stunning White House comeback.
His exuberant speech came despite the fact that only Fox News had declared him the winner, with no other US networks having made the call so far.
As jubilant supporters cheered and chanted "USA", Trump took to the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida along with his wife Melania and several of his children.
"We are going to help our country heal," the Republican former president said.
"It's a political victory that our country has never seen before."
US networks have called the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina for the 78-year-old, and he led the Democratic vice president in the others although they have not been called yet.
Harris wins Minnesota
Kamala Harris carried Minnesota on a ticket with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, extending a winning streak for Democrats that goes back 52 years. In choosing Walz, Harris elevated a Midwestern governor, veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.
Trump says 'made history' with presidential election
Donald Trump on Wednesday said he and his supporters had made history in the White House race, though the ex-TV star had not been widely declared winner of the US presidential election.
"We've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible," Trump told cheering supporters. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before."
Fox News has declared Trump the winner of Tuesday's US presidential election, though no other network has yet followed suit.
Trump wins key state Pennsylvania
Republican former president Donald Trump is closing in on a second term in the White House after winning the biggest battleground prize of Pennsylvania, US networks project. Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes.
Trump wins the 2nd Congressional District in Maine
Voters in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, the more conservative of the state’s two congressional districts, delivered an electoral vote to Donald Trump. Maine is one of two states that divide their electoral votes with two votes going to the statewide winner and one vote apiece to the winner of reach congressional district.
Trump expands lead, GOP captures Senate as Harris path narrows
Republican nominee Donald Trump inched closer to capturing the White House, projected as the winner in two battleground states with his party set to control the Senate and markets swinging in expectation of his possible victory.
Trump won both North Carolina and Georgia, flipping the latter from four years ago. He holds a more tentative advantage across Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona, where vote counting continues.
The remaining five key swing states have not been called by major networks or the Associated Press, leaving open a narrow path for Harris to potentially close the gap as votes roll in.
Harris won't speak tonight
Kamala Harris will not speak at Howard University tonight but will address her supporters and "the nation" on tomorrow morning, her campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told supporters gathered at the vice-president's alma mater.
"We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue overnight to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice is spoken," he said.
"She will be back here tomorrow to address not only the HU family, not only to address her supporters but to address the nation," he added.
Harris wins New Hampshire
Kamala Harris won New Hampshire on Wednesday, continuing the state’s two-decade-long streak of awarding its four electoral votes to Democrats. New Hampshire has backed Democrats in seven of the last eight presidential elections.
Dollar jumps as Trump pulls ahead
The dollar rallied as Donald Trump pulled ahead in the US presidential race, triggering a sharp rise in Treasury yields on speculation his policies would keep US interest rates elevated.
The rise in bond yields promised to pull cash into the US as investors seize on the higher payouts. The dollar surged against all of its major counterparts in Asian trading even though the race remained too close to call and crucial states had yet to report vote tallies.
Trump wins battleground Georgia, another blow to Harris
Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Georgia, US media projected early Wednesday, flipping a state that voted Democratic in 2020 and dealing a major blow to his rival Kamala Harris.
CNN and NBC News made the call in the Republican former president's favour.
The Republican Party has wrested control of the US Senate from the Democrats, with at least 51 seats in the 100-member upper house of Congress, US networks projected early Wednesday.
Fox News and NBC News made the announcement after Republicans flipped two key seats in Ohio and West Virginia.
Trump expands lead as Harris path narrows toward Blue Wall
Republican nominee Donald Trump has jumped out to a lead over Democrat Kamala Harris in the race for the presidency, with markets swinging in expectation of his possible victory even as vote counting continued.
Trump won his first battleground state, holding North Carolina, and leads Georgia with over 90% of votes counted. He holds a more tentative advantage across Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, the so-called Blue Wall states where tabulation was in much earlier stages.
None of those Blue Wall states have been called by major networks or the Associated Press, leaving open a path for Harris to close the gap as votes roll in from densely populated cities and suburbs that are Democratic strongholds.
Harris wins the 2nd Congressional District in Nebraska and one electoral vote
Kamala Harris won the electoral vote tied to Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. The sitting vice president defeated Trump in the district centered on Nebraska’s largest city of Omaha and its surrounding suburbs.
Harris wins Hawaii
Kamala Harris won Hawaii and the state’s four electoral votes. It’s the 10th straight presidential election in which Hawaii has selected the Democratic Party candidate. The state last picked a Republican for the nation’s top office 40 years ago, when Ronald Reagan emerged victorious in 1984.
Harris wins Virginia
Kamala Harris won Virginia on Tuesday, adding 13 electoral votes to her tally. Harris’ victory marks the third time Donald Trump has lost the Old Dominion state. The Democratic nominee for president has won Virginia in every election since 2008.
Harris wins New Mexico
Kamala Harris won New Mexico on Tuesday, adding five electoral votes to Democrats’ tally. The Democratic Party’s influence in New Mexico has only grown over the last two decades.
Republicans nudged ahead in their mission to wrest the closely divided US Senate from Democratic control Tuesday after flipping a state and fending off an effort to unseat their most vulnerable members.
While all eyes are on the White House race between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump, hundreds of congressional elections will determine how much of the next president's agenda gets enacted.
Harris wins Oregon
Kamala Harris won Oregon, adding eight electoral votes to her tally.
Trump wins North Carolina
Donald Trump won the battleground state of North Carolina. Trump receives the state’s 16 electoral votes.
Ted Cruz wins reelection
Senator Ted Cruz won his reelection bid, holding off a challenge from a former National Football League linebacker who had sought to break the Republican party's 30-year unbeaten streak on statewide elections in Texas.
Cruz defeated US Representative Colin Allred, according to projections by NBC News and Fox News. His lead was about 9 percentage points, with 68% of votes counted, according to unofficial results from the Associated Press. In his last race in 2018, Cruz bested former congressman Beto O'Rourke by 2.6 percentage points.
Nifty, Sensex gain amid US election
Indian stock markets opened with gains on Wednesday amid the ongoing US election voting, with volatility surging in markets around the world.
The Nifty 50 index gained 95 points or 0.39 per cent to open at 24,308.75 points, while the BSE Sensex gained 295 points or 0.37 per cent to open at 79,771.82 points.
Market experts noted that the US election is making markets volatile worldwide. The election outcome may take some time, which could further increase volatility, so investors should be cautious with their investments.
Harris wins California
Kamala Harris won California, giving her the largest prize in the presidential election - 54 electoral votes. A Republican candidate hasn’t won a presidential contest in the nation’s most populous state since 1988.
Trump wins Idaho
Donald Trump won Idaho for the third consecutive, adding four electoral votes to his tally. Idaho is deeply red, and the Republican presidential nominee has carried the state with more than 60% of the vote for the last several elections.
Bitcoin soared to a new record high on Wednesday as traders bet on victory for Donald Trump in the US presidential race, with the tycoon seen as the pro-crypto candidate.
The digital currency hit as much as $75,005.08 at around 0300 GMT, topping its previous all-time peak of $73,797.98 achieved in March.
Harris wins Washington
Kamala Harris won Washington’s 12 electoral votes, besting Donald Trump in a state where he is not popular. Washington has not gone for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Trump wins Iowa
Donald Trump won Iowa, claiming the state’s six electoral votes. Formerly considered a swing state, Iowa has proved to be a clear example of Trump’s appeal among Republican voters and his staying power in the GOP.
Trump wins Kansas
Donald Trump won Kansas and its six electoral votes. Republican candidates have carried Kansas in every presidential election since 1964, and it was the third election in a row that Trump has won the state.
Trump at 201 electoral votes, Harris at 91: US media
Tallies are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in 20 states including big prizes Texas and Ohio, and other reliably Republican-leaning states.
Harris has so far captured nine states - District of Columbia, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont - as well as the US capital Washington.
So far, that gives Trump 201 electoral votes and Harris 91.
Harris wins the District of Columbia
Kamala Harris won the District of Columbia, securing the capital’s three electoral votes. Harris’ win is no surprise – the District is a longtime Democratic stronghold.
Trump wins four states including Ohio, Harris wins Colorado
Donald Trump won four more states, including Ohio, while his Democratic rival Kamala Harris was projected to win in Colorado, US networks said.
Other states won by Trump are Kansas, Montana and Utah. So far, the key battleground states, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, have yet to be called.
Trump wins Utah
Donald Trump won Utah and its six electoral votes. The Mountain West state is a rare Republican stronghold that has in past elections only half-heartedly supported Trump.
Trump wins Montana
Donald Trump won Montana for the third consecutive election on Tuesday, adding four electoral votes to his tally. Montana has one more electoral vote this cycle than it did in the previous two, as the state received an additional congressional seat following the 2020 census.
Trump wins Missouri
Donald Trump won the conservative state of Missouri. Missouri voters overwhelmingly favoured Trump over Democrats in the 2016 and 2020 elections, and he was favored to win again this year. In the past decade, the GOP has become increasingly dominant in Missouri, and Republicans now hold all statewide political offices. Republicans also hold large majorities in both legislative chambers.
Harris wins Illinois, Trump takes two more states
Democrat Kamala Harris won the big prize state of Illinois as well as Rhode Island, while Republican Donald Trump added to his electoral vote total with victories in Louisiana and Mississippi, US networks projected.
Many of the key battleground states in the US presidential election, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, have yet to be called.
Trump wins Texas
Republican Donald Trump won Texas and its 40 electoral votes, according to CNN and Fox. Texas has voted for a Republican presidential candidate in every election since 1980.
Trump wins 3rd District in Nebraska, 1 electoral vote
Republican Donald Trump won the electoral vote tied to Nebraska’s vast, rural 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday. The former president easily defeated Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris in the state’s most conservative of its three districts, covering 80 counties and two time zones. The district is also one of the most conservative in the country and supported Trump by about 3-to-1 in both 2016 and 2020. The last time the district voted for a Democrat to represent it in the U.S. House was in 1958. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:25 p.m. EST.
Donald Trump wins Ohio
Republican Donald Trump carried Ohio for a third time on Tuesday, defeating Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to capture the state’s 17 electoral votes. Support for the former president helped turn Ohio from a presidential bellwether to reliably Republican in recent years. Ohio voters supported him by wide margins in 2016 and 2020, and they delivered for him again this year. No Republican has reached the White House without carrying Ohio.
In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidency without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:08 p.m. EST.
A decision desk update on Pennsylvania
Harris is leading with about a fifth of the estimated votes counted a little more than an hour after polls closed. The earliest results included mailed ballots, which have historically favoured Democratic candidates. But the gap is narrowing, as expected, with Election Day votes from across the state being added.
Trump wins Wyoming
Former President Donald Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris in deep-red Wyoming to win the least-populated state’s three electoral votes on Tuesday. One of the most Republican states by almost any measure, Wyoming gave Trump his widest margins of victory in any state in the 2020 and 2016 elections.
Trump made at least one fundraising visit to Wyoming in 2024 but did not campaign in the state. He focused instead on states less certain to deliver him wins. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Trump wins Nebraska
Republican Donald Trump won the statewide popular vote in Nebraska for the third consecutive election on Tuesday, receiving two electoral college votes. Nebraska is one of two states that divide electoral votes with two votes going to the statewide winner and one apiece to the winner of each congressional district.
Trump won Nebraska by 25 percentage points in 2016 and by 19 points four years later. The last Democratic presidential nominee to win the statewide popular vote in Nebraska was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The AP declared Trump the winner at 9:00 pm EST.
Harris wins New York
Vice President Kamala Harris won New York’s presidential contest on Tuesday, picking up the state’s 28 electoral votes. New York has now voted for the Democrat in every presidential contest since giving Ronald Reagan the nod in his landslide 1984 election. Former President Donald Trump has consistently struggled to gain traction in his home state, losing New York in each of his three runs for the White House.
New York’s electoral vote haul is the fourth richest, after California, Texas and Florida, but has one fewer vote than it did four years ago due to population shifts. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Trump wins North, South Dakota
Former President Donald Trump won both South Dakota and North Dakota, three electoral votes each. His victory continues a decadeslong streak of Republican presidential wins in the conservative Northm known for its agriculture and energy production. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the state was President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. North Dakota has about 784,000 residents. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Trump received nearly 62 per cent of the vote in each of his previous runs for president, and both times his margin was more than 26 percentage points. Almost 51 per cent of the South Dakota's 616,000 registered voters are Republicans, while fewer than 24 per cent are Democrats. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Trump wins Louisiana
Former President Donald Trump won Louisiana on Tuesday for the third consecutive presidential election, increasing his electoral vote tally by eight. In addition to voter support, Trump has various powerful political allies in and from the Bayou State, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Gov. Jeff Landry. In Louisiana, where the GOP currently holds each statewide elected office and controls the legislature, the Republican nominee for president has won every election since 1996. Trump won Louisiana with about 58% of the vote in both 2016 and 2020. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:00 pm EST.
‘No credible threat’ in Pennsylvania, says Gov. Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said there had been multiple bomb threats called into polling locations across the state, but said so far there is “no credible threat” to the public.
Shapiro, a Democrat, spoke at a news conference. In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Police said they were working with local partners to respond, if needed.
Neither Shapiro nor police gave more details about who might be behind the bomb threats or why Shapiro believed there was no threat to the public.
Polls closed in the presidential battleground state at 8 pm EST, except for two jurisdictions where judges granted requests for extensions.
Harris wins Illinois
Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois on Tuesday, claiming the state’s 19 electoral votes for Democrats. The reliably blue state, the home of former President Barack Obama, has supported Democratic presidential candidates since 1992. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:38 pm EST (5:38 UAE).
Harris wins Delaware
Democrat Kamala Harris won Delaware’s presidential contest Tuesday, easily defeating Republican Donald Trump. Harris’ victory in solid-blue Delaware was a foregone conclusion, given the stranglehold Democrats have held on the state’s three electoral votes for decades.
The last Republican presidential candidate to win in Delaware was George H.W. Bush in 1988. That’s also the last time Delaware voters elected a Republican governor. Delaware’s congressional delegation for years has been composed entirely of Democrats, who also control both chambers of the state legislature. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:34 pm EST (5:34 UAE).
Harris wins New Jersey
Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey’s 14 electoral votes on Tuesday. Harris’ victory over Republican Donald Trump continues Democrats’ dominance in the state, which has gone with the Democratic candidate for president in every election since 1988.
New Jersey Democrats have nearly 1 million more registered voters than Republicans. Trump has ties to New Jersey, including golf clubs across the state. He also operated casinos in the shore resort of Atlantic City, but they ended in bankruptcy. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:30 pm EST (5.30am UAE)
Trump secures Arkansas
Former President Donald Trump secured Arkansas’ six electoral votes on Tuesday, winning the heavily Republican state for the third presidential election in a row. Trump had the backing of the state’s top Republican figures, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Sanders, who had served as Trump’s White House press secretary, endorsed the former president’s bid and campaigned for him. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination and declined to endorse Trump’s reelection. Democrats have not won a presidential election in Arkansas since 1996, when native son Bill Clinton won reelection. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Harris wins Massachusetts
Vice President Kamala Harris won Massachusetts on Tuesday, continuing a decadeslong streak of victories for Democratic presidential candidates in the Bay State. The last time Massachusetts backed a Republican candidate was in 1984 when voters cast their ballots for Ronald Reagan.
The commonwealth and its 11 electoral votes have become one of the reliable gains for Democrats in presidential elections. In 2020, Joe Biden easily defeated Donald Trump, winning more than 65 per cent of the vote. The state has also become a steady source of campaign cash for both Republican and Democratic candidates, though few spend time campaigning in the state. Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:00 pm EST (5am UAE).
Harris wins Rhode Island
Vice President Kamala Harris won Rhode Island on Tuesday, giving her four electoral votes and continuing the Democrats’ dominance in the state. The last time a Republican presidential candidate won Rhode Island was in 1984, when former President Ronald Reagan defeated former Vice President Walter Mondale.
President Joe Biden easily defeated former President Donald Trump in Rhode Island in 2020, winning more than 59 per cent of the vote. Hillary Clinton also did well in the state, winning over 54 per cent of the vote in 2016. Given the Democrats’ success in Rhode Island, presidential candidates rarely spend time campaigning in the state. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:00 pm EST (5am UAE).
Trump wins South Carolina
Former President Donald Trump won South Carolina on Tuesday, earning its nine electoral votes for the third straight election. South Carolina has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since 1976, when Democrat Jimmy Carter — the governor of the neighboring state of Georgia — defeated Republican President Gerald Ford throughout the South.
Four years ago, Trump won 55 per cent of the vote, matching his performance from 2016. Given the success Republicans have in the state, presidential candidates rarely spend time campaigning there. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 8:01 pm EST (5:01am UAE).
Trumps wins Florida
Donald Trump won Florida on Tuesday for the third consecutive election, earning the state’s 30 electoral votes. Once a crucial battleground state, Florida has been drifting toward the Republican Party in recent years. A Democratic presidential nominee has not won the state since Barack Obama carried it in 2012. Meanwhile, Trump grew his margin of victory in his adopted home state between 2016 and 2020. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 8:01 p.m. EST.
Trump wins West Virginia
Former President Donald Trump won West Virginia for the third straight presidential election cycle on Tuesday. The victory adds four electoral votes to the former president’s count. West Virginia has one fewer electoral vote this cycle after losing a congressional seat following the 2020 census.
The state is one of only two where Trump won every county in 2016 and 2020. No Democrat has won the presidential election in West Virginia since Bill Clinton in 1996. Republicans control every elected partisan statewide office in West Virginia. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 7:30 pm EST (4.30 am UAE).
Trump allies urge men to cast their ballots
Donald Trump’s allies appeared worried about turnout among men today, urging them to vote as Election Day drew to a close.
“If you know any men who haven’t voted, get them to the polls,” Stephen Miller, a longtime adviser to the Republican nominee, posted on X.
Charlie Kirk, the leader of the conservative group Turning Point, seemed concerned earlier in the day. “Turnout is mixed and not where we want it to be,” he wrote on X. “We need more people to vote. We can’t let turnout flatline.” He struck a more positive note at 4:11 pm (local time). “The men are arriving,” he posted. “Turnout is SURGING.”
A technical glitch meant long waits in Apache County
A technical glitch in ballot printers at more than a dozen polling places in Arizona’s rural Apache County meant long waits for voters. “Poll workers were encouraging people to leave and come back later in the day when the printer was fixed,” said Zane James, who voted in the community of Wheatfields after waiting 2 1/2 hours. The printer was fixed, “but five to 10 people left and I don’t know if they are coming back,” he said.
Rita Vaughan, the Apache County elections director, said technicians fixed the problem after it emerged early Tuesday. She said polling places stayed open and people voted with paper ballots or accessible voting devices used by people with disabilities or language issues.
Philadelphia DA contests Trump’s claim of ‘massive cheating’ in city
Ahead of poll closures in Pennsylvania, Trump said on his social media platform that there was “talk about massive cheating in Philadelphia” and said law enforcement was on the way.
He did not provide details, and there was no immediate indication of what he was referring to, and his spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment about what he meant.
Election Day voting had proceeded relatively smoothly across Pennsylvania, with a few counties reporting problems with ballot tabulators.
Philadelphia District Attorney (DA) Larry Krasner issued a statement responding to Trump’s post, saying the only suggestion of cheating was coming from the Republican presidential nominee.
“There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation,” Krasner said. “We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day. If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath.”
A small set of polls in Indiana and Kentucky close at 6 pm EST
As the candidates race to secure 270 Electoral College votes, precincts closed at 6 pm EST (3am UAE) in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Additional voting sites are due to close at 7 pm EST (4am UAE). That closure includes most of Florida, all of the swing state of Georgia and Virginia, among others.
FBI issues statement on bomb threats, fake videos
The FBI has issued a statement saying it was aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, “many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.”
The agency also alerted Americans on Tuesday to two new fake videos spreading false claims about terror threats and voter fraud. These videos are part of a larger disinformation campaign that officials anticipate will escalate as Election Day approaches.
One video, falsely claiming to be from the FBI, warns of an elevated terror threat and encourages Americans to "vote remotely." Another video features a fabricated press release, purportedly from the FBI, alleging manipulated voting among inmates in five prisons.
Voters see the economy, democracy as the top issues
Exit polls showed voters were motivated by concerns about democracy and the economy in a frenzied race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump that could take days to settle.
Voters said democracy and the economy mattered the most when deciding their presidential vote in exit polls released Tuesday afternoon by a consortium of networks that included NBC News, Fox News, and CNN.
About 4 in 10 voters said “the economy and jobs” is the top issue facing the country, up from about 3 in 10 in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide. More voters this year described their family’s financial situation as “falling behind” and fewer said they are “holding steady” than in 2020.
About 6 in 10 voters described the condition of the US economy as “not so good” or “poor,” roughly in line with the share who said that in 2020.
Polling place closed over gas leak
Officials in Northville, Michigan, closed a polling place at noon and directed voters to another precinct in the Detroit suburb due to a natural gas leak. Consumers Energy is investigating the leak.
Missing page discovered
Local probate judge Andrew Weathington said at a press conference on Tuesday that ballots sent to some polling locations in St. Clair County, Alabama, for Tuesday’s election were missing a state amendment and a local amendment.
Weathington said that the first round of corrected ballots had been ordered from Birmingham and estimated that they would arrive just before 2 pm
“I’m as frustrated as anybody, and I understand that we have to take off work and all that stuff to go vote. And I apologize. I don’t know what else to say other than we’re very, very sorry,” Weathington said.
To address the error, the local circuit court judge ordered polling locations nationwide to remain open for two additional hours this evening until 9 PM. Weathington stated that ballots that had already been cast would still be counted.
Man trying to enter the US Capitol arrested
US Capitol Police reported that a man was stopped during a security screening at the Capitol Visitor Center. Authorities noted that he smelled of fuel and was carrying a flare gun and a torch.
As a precaution, officials canceled public tours of the Capitol for the rest of the day, and police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
This arrest occurs amid heightened security alerts in the nation’s capital, with increased patrols near downtown and the White House in anticipation of potential issues surrounding Election Day.
'Most important day in American History'
Former US President and Republican candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday encouraged his supporters to vote "no matter how long it takes."
He said the voter enthusiasm is 'through the roof,' as people 'want to Make America Great Again.'
In a post on X, Trump said, "It is now officially ELECTION DAY! This will be the most important day in American History. Voter enthusiasm is THROUGH THE ROOF because people want to Make America Great Again. That means lines are going to be long!"
Statement comes amid a closely contested presidential election, with Trump facing off against Kamala Harris.
'If it's a fair election'
US Republican presidential contender Donald Trump said he would be prepared to concede defeat after Tuesday's vote "if it's a fair election", while again raising concerns about the use of electronic voting machines.
"If I lose an election, if it's a fair election, I would be the first one to acknowledge it. So far I think it's been fair," Trump, repeating a caveat that he has used many times on the campaign trail, told reporters after voting in Florida.
Trump 'very confident' of victory
Donald Trump feels 'very confident' about winning back the White House, the Republican after casting his Election Day ballot in Florida in one of the most contentious US elections in decades.
"I feel very confident," Trump told reporters at a voting facility in West Palm Beach, adding he believes he "ran a great campaign" against his Democratic rival Kamala Harris. Opinion polls show the race is a dead heat.
'Get out and vote'
Kamala Harris urged Americans to "get out and vote" on Election Day, particularly in battleground states, as her White House duel with Donald Trump reached its climax Tuesday.
"We've got to get it done. Today is voting day, and people need to get out and be active," she said on Atlanta station WVEE-FM.
Software glitch
Voting hours have been extended in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, due to a software malfunction that prevented voters from scanning their ballots, CNN reported on Tuesday.
According to a statement from the Office of County Commissioners, "Voting time has been extended in Cambria County, Pennsylvania after a software malfunction disrupted voters' ability to scan their ballots."
Election officials in the county insist "there is a process in place for issues of this nature" and the malfunction "should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts."
"The Cambria County Board of Election learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the County's Electronic Voting System has prevented voters from scanning their ballots," the statement said.
Obama urges Americans to vote
Former US President Barack Obama has said that the US Presidential election will be close and urged Americans to vote in large numbers for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate Tim Walz.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Obama said Americans will be going to the polls to show "what we stand for". Voting began in the US presidential election earlier in the day.
After votes are cast, local election officials, who may be appointed or elected, process and count them. Tallying methods vary from one location to the next.
A final outcome may not be known for several days if the results are as close as the polls suggest, adding to the tension.
Rather than waiting for winners to be declared by local authorities, US news outlets call races based on what they see in the voting. So, wait for news outlets to make the decision.
But this process is not official and results still have to be certified at the state level, with every ballot accounted for.
Republican Vice-Presidential nominee casts ballot
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance cast his ballot in person. Vance cast his ballot at the St. Anthony of Padua Church in Cincinnati from the state of Ohio.
According to CNN, the senator and running mate of former US President Donald Trump was in good spirits when he arrived to cast his vote with his wife, Usha Vance and their children.
Following casting his vote, Vance told the reporters present there that he was thankful to those who came out to vote and also to witness "one of the great traditions in American democracy."
"I feel good; you never know until you know, but I feel good about this race," Vance said, as reported by CNN. "I felt good about my own race a couple of years ago when I voted in this exact same spot. Hopefully, it goes as well for President Trump and me as it went for me a couple of years ago in the state of Ohio," he added.
Stock markets rise
US markets opened higher on Tuesday, as voters across the country headed to the polls in one of the closest-fought presidential races for decades, which carries significant economic consequences.
Shortly after the markets opened on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1 per cent at 41,848.30, while the broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent to 5,735.59.
The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 0.6 per cent to 18,291.31, fueled by a more than 16 percent rise in the share price of defense software firm Palantir after it reported better-than-expected earnings results.
More polls open
Polling locations for the US presidential elections have now opened in another nine states, including two swing states of Arizona and Wisconsin, CNN reported on Tuesday.
Other states include the states of Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota (municipalities with fewer than 500 registered voters can open polling places as late as 11 am local time), South Dakota (some polls open at 6 am local time depending on the time zone), North Dakota (polls can open between 8 and 11 am local time), Oklahoma, and Texas (polling locations in CT open at 8 am local time and locations in MT open at 9 am local time).
Polling has now opened across 34 states in the US in what is termed to be one of their most consequential elections, which will decide the direction of not just the US but also have an influence on global geopolitics for the next four years.
According to CNN, earlier polls had been opened across 25 states, including Alabama, Delaware, Washington DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Vermont and New Hampshire, among which Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania are swing states.
Polling hours will vary
The polling hours will vary across the states, but most locations will vote between 6am and 8pm on Tuesday (local time). The first polls will close at around 7 pm ET (5:30 am IST) in six states, including Georgia. The final polls will close in the blue state of Hawaii and in the red state of Alaska at 12 am ET (10:30 am IST). Total votes will close by 1 pm ET (11:30 am IST), following which counting will start.
Extraordinarily turbulent election
American voters deliver their verdict Tuesday after an extraordinarily turbulent election that will either make Kamala Harris the first woman president in US history or deliver Donald Trump a comeback that sends shockwaves around the world.
As polling stations open nationwide on Election Day, Democratic vice president Harris, 60, and Republican former president Trump, 78, are dead-even in the tightest and most volatile White House race of modern times.
The bitter rivals spent their final day of the campaign frenziedly working to get their supporters out to the polls and trying to win over any last undecided voters in the swing states expected to decide the outcome.
Election day ballot
The US presidential election day ballot can be two or three white pages: Not just a spot to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, but also House and Senate races as well as local initiatives and proposals, such as funding for community services.
When US citizens fill ballots out, they fill in a bubble rather than ticking or marking an x in a box. It can take roughly 10 minutes to fill one out.
US Elections
- From A-Z, US election campaign 2024 by the letter
- Watch: Voting begins to select the next President of US
- What if the US election ends in a Trump-Harris tie?
- US election: When will we know who won?
- Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris: Is the US election really so close?
- US election 2024 in numbers
- US election: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump end historic campaigns with final pitch to voters
US election 2024 in numbers
Compiled by Biju Mathew, Online Editor; Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor; and Jay Hilotin, Senior Assistant Editor.