Dubai: Election day is here, and the world is watching as American voters find themselves on a razor’s edge, sharply divided between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, with tensions running high.
This election is not just important to Americans; it has global implications. From conflicts in the Middle East and Europe to critical issues like trade and migration, the next US president will wield significant influence on international affairs.
Republican Trump, 78, has promised a “landslide” victory as he seeks a sensational return to the White House, while Democrat Harris, 60, asserts that the “momentum” is on her side in her bid to become America’s first female president.
On Election Eve, America is stressed out — faced with two radically different candidates and visions for the country’s future, voters are bracing themselves for the results and the potential unrest that could follow.
Many Americans express exhaustion and frustration over the relentless political battle. “It feels out of my control. It’s like this base level of stress,” Cheryl Stevens, 55, told AFP, after a yoga session aimed at easing election anxiety in Reston, Virginia.
Polls indicate a nail-biting race, with the latest New York Times/Siena survey showing results within the margin of error across key swing states. With nearly 78 million votes already cast, new poll shows Harris leading among early voters in battleground states, holding an 8 per cent advantage.
The majority of voters go to the polls and ballots are counted. Many people may have already cast their vote ahead of time using the postal voting system or early voting.
• What time does polling end?
Votes are counted in each state after their respective polls close. Poll close times vary from state to state but generally begin from around 7pm local time.
The range of time zones across the US means that on the east coast, ballots will have been tabulated while voters in states like Alaska and Hawaii are still making their way to the polls.
• When do we get the election results?
The winner of the election will likely not be projected for days. Even then, the results are not properly finalised for months. However, states and the whole election result are typically “called” long before final votes are counted.
In 2020, the result was called for Joe Biden four days after the November 3 ballot, after Pennsylvania’s result was confirmed. The state provided Biden with 20 electoral college votes, taking him over the 270 required to win. In 2016, Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump the morning after the election.
However, Trump leads among those who are very likely to vote but have not yet done so.
The poll also finds Harris slightly ahead in three swing states, with Trump leading in one, and the other three too close to call.
2020 saw highest turnout
About two-thirds (66 percent) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election—the highest rate since 1900. In that election, 43.1 per cent of votes were cast by mail.
Voters on Tuesday are not just electing a president; they are also choosing congressional candidates for the House and Senate. Polls will close across the country starting at 6pm EST (3am Dubai) on Tuesday, with the last polls closing at 1am EST (10am Dubai) on Wednesday.
Investors bracing for potential fallout
As the race remains neck-and-neck, investors are preparing for the potential fallout of a Trump victory, which could curb imports and push up US interest rates, affecting global bond markets.
Both campaigns believe the race is extremely close across seven key swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The tightness of the race complicates predictions about when a winner will be declared.
Election Day in the US often stretches into Election Week, as each state has its own rules for counting ballots, and legal challenges may cause further delays.
The truth is, no one knows how long it will take to announce a winner this time. In 2020, The Associated Press declared President Joe Biden the winner on Saturday afternoon — four days after polls closed.
Historical significance
History will be made either way.
A Harris victory would make her the first female president in US history, as well as the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the office. Although her campaign has downplayed the significance of gender and race to avoid alienating some supporters, the historical impact of a Harris win would be undeniable.
Conversely, a Trump victory would mark a different kind of historical milestone — he would become the first person convicted of a felony elected to the US presidency, having faced 34 felony counts in a New York hush-money case just five months ago.
The outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: The stakes have never been higher, and the nation is bracing for a tumultuous election day.
