Millions of Americans Cast Votes in US Election to Choose Between Trump and Harris | US News

Millions of Americans are participating in a historic election that could see the return of Donald Trump to the White House or the election of Kamala Harris as the first female US president.

The two candidates are currently tied in the opinion polls after a contentious campaign that included two assassination attempts on Republican Mr. Trump and the unexpected withdrawal of President Joe Biden.

In the span of around 100 days, Ms. Harris has emerged as a strong challenger to her opponent.

Follow live: Initial exit poll reveals voter concerns

The final hours of voting are currently taking place, with polls already closed in six states, including the critical battleground state of Georgia.

Initial projections from NBC News indicate that Mrs. Harris has won Vermont, while Mr. Trump has secured Kentucky and Indiana in the first results of the evening.

Reports suggest that voting on Tuesday is proceeding smoothly, with only sporadic issues such as extreme weather, long lines, or technical difficulties.

The FBI has reported “non-credible” bomb threats in several states, some of which originated from Russian email domains. The Russian embassy has denied these allegations of interference as “malicious slander”.

Understanding the voting process

In addition to those casting their ballots at polling stations on Tuesday, tens of millions of Americans have already voted early through mail-in or in-person voting prior to today.

To win the presidency, the victorious candidate must secure 270 electoral votes or more, with each state carrying a varying number of votes.

If the close race predicted by polls materializes, the election could hinge on a few key battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The initial ballots cast on Tuesday reflected the national divide. Overnight, the six registered voters in the town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, evenly split their votes between the two candidates in voting shortly after midnight.

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Trump or Harris

Former President Mr. Trump, aged 78, cast his vote in Palm Beach, Florida, near his Mar-a-Lago club.

Sporting his iconic red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, he expressed confidence at the polling station and mentioned the strong Republican turnout.

Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and a Trump supporter, intends to watch the election results alongside the former president.

Meanwhile, Ms. Harris, the 60-year-old Democratic vice president, participated in radio interviews in the crucial battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Current polling trends

Many polls are too close to call, and due to a significant margin of error, most experts are abstaining from predicting the final result.

Georgia might be one of the first battleground states to announce results, as polls there close at 7pm local time (midnight UK time). State election officials have indicated that they could have a result as early as 10pm (3am UK time).

North Carolina could also provide an early indication of the election’s progress.

However, it might take several days before the US has a definitive election outcome.

An exit poll conducted today by NBC News and other US media outlets suggests that democracy is the top concern for voters as they cast their ballots.

Approximately 35% of respondents ranked democracy as their primary issue, closely followed by the economy at 31%, with abortion ranking third at 14%.

Voters are not only electing a president. The control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate is at stake, with all House seats and one-third of Senate seats up for grabs.

In addition, 10 states are holding votes related to abortion issues, half of which could reverse existing restrictions.