US Presidential Election 2024
THAT'S IT FOR NOW...

Trump retakes the White House

Photo: AFP

Highlights

  • The Daily Star is using electoral college vote data from The Associated Press
  • Trump wins battleground states in North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, leads in Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona
  • Republicans take control of US senate
  • Control of US congress still up for grabs
  • Democracy and economy rank as the most important issues
  • Trump claims his campaign 'made history' during this election

Where Things Stand

Donald Trump has won the US presidential election. He carried four swing states and leads in the other three, already securing 277 votes in the Electoral College.

For the first time in history, the Senate will have two Black women serving simultaneously: Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland. The Republicans, however, have wrestled controlled of the Senate.

The US Congress still remains in the balance. The Republican party leads the race, with results still trickling in.

Follow the live updates below -


4:40pm

Wisconsin win puts Donald Trump over the edge and into the White House

The latest in a series of swing states to go red, Wisconsin goes the way of Donald Trump, giving him 10 electoral college votes to put the total at 277 for the former president.

This means Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States of America. He had already claimed victory in a late night address to his supporters at West Palm Beach, Florida.

Kamala Harris, having lost 4 of 7 key battleground states, remains at 224 electoral college votes. She trails in the other swing states of Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona.


1:40pm

Trump claims victory in US 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."

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.

From AFP


1:28pm

Trump wins Pennsylvania, key battleground state

Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral college votes, was the most crucial swing state in the 2024 election. Trump has won the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, taking him within touching distance of a return to the US presidency after four years.

Key states yet to be called are Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona, with Trump leading all of them. Other states include traditionally Republican stronghold Alaska.


1:17pm

Fox News declares for Trump

Ahead of all networks, Fox declares the 2024 election for Trump, as it calls key states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin for him.


1:12pm

Trump takes Pennsylvania: reports

Donald Trump is set to take a huge stride on his way to the White House as various US media outlets are reporting that he has taken the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with its 19 electoral votes.

The rust-belt state, part of the famed "blue wall" that won Joe Biden the presidency in 2020, was crucial for both candidates. With Trump taking Pennsylvania, this leaves Kamala Harris only a few paths to 270, all of which require improbable upturning of leads.


12:50pm

Kamala Harris takes New Hampshire

The 4 electoral college votes of New Hampshire go to Kamala Harris, who has been able to carry most traditionally Democratic states, but struggled to make inroads into the seven key swing states as of now.

Among uncalled states, Trump leads in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, while Harris is up in Minnesota as of now. 


12:28pm

Trump set to address celebrating supporters in Florida

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters gathered in Florida on election night, expecting the ex-president to speak after he notched key wins in the race for the White House.

Men donning formal suits and women in dresses mingled at the Palm Beach County Convention Center event, where they rubbed shoulders with a die-hard Trump fan sporting their political hero's name emblazoned on a leather vest.

Whether dressed in formal attire or more casual wear, many of the attendees wore Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps.

Trump pushed closer to victory over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, leaving the Democrat the narrowest of remaining paths to stop him scoring a stunning political comeback.

From AFP


12:17pm

Republicans seize control of US Senate: networks

Republicans wrested the US Senate from Democratic control, US media projected early Wednesday, ending four years in the minority and providing a huge boost to the party in its quest to dominate every branch of government.

The victory means that the incoming president will get enormous support to enact their agenda and appoint justices to the powerful US Supreme Court if it's Donald Trump -- but legislative deadlock if it is his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

From AFP


12:02pm

Georgia, key battleground state, goes to Trump

Donald Trump has emerged as the winner in the south-eastern state of Georgia, and bagged its 16 electoral votes. It is the second of the battleground states that has been called for the former president on election night.

From CNN


11:57am

Kamala Harris won't address supporters tonight

Kamala Harris will not address her supporters on election night, her campaign said Wednesday, after Donald Trump pushed closer to victory in the tense US presidential vote.

"You won't hear from the vice president tonight but you will hear from her tomorrow," Cedric Richmond, Harris campaign co-chair, told a watch party at Howard University in Washington.

From AFP


11:44am

Some media outlets call Georgia for Trump

Georgia, a crucial swing state with 16 electoral votes, is swinging towards Donald Trump. With 16 electoral college votes, the state has already reported 97 percent of votes with Trump taking a lead of over 100,000 votes, CNN reports. 

If this lead holds, the only way remaining for Kamala Harris to become president will be to take all three of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.


10:57am

North Carolina first of the swing states to be called, Donald Trump bags 16 electoral votes

BBC has just reported that Donald Trump has won the battleground state of North Carolina, gaining its 16 electoral college votes.

This is good news for the Trump campaign, as it puts him on the path to securing the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the race.

But the majority of other swing states have yet to be called, meaning things could still tilt in Kamala Harris's favour, particularly if she can win all three Rust Belt states - Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

While North Carolina's win is big for Republicans, it is in line with how the state has voted in the past: Trump won North Carolina in both 2016, with a margin of 3.66%, and 2020, with a smaller margin of 1.34%.

The last Democratic candidate to win the state was Barack Obama in 2008. Obama later lost the state in his 2012 re-election bid to Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

From BBC


10:35am

Why Pennsylvania and the 'blue wall' is still so interesting?

The "blue wall" of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania that was crucial for Joe Biden's win in 2020 remains crucial in 2024. Any candidate who takes all three states will be most likely to take the White House, no matter the result in other swing states.

With Kamala Harris leading narrowly in Michigan, and Donald Trump doing the same in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the focus now shifts to the votes left to be counted in each of these states.

In Wisconsin, votes remain uncounted in the urban centres of Milwauke and Madison and for Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pittsburg, and Philadelphia are yet to count votes, all either urban centres or traditionally Democrat areas. That gives Kamala Harris a chance to narrow the gap in these states, but will it be enough to turn them around and give her the electoral college votes?  


10:11am

Democrat Kamala Harris on Tuesday won California in the US presidential election, taking its huge slate of 54 electoral votes, while Republican rival Donald Trump was projected to win in Idaho and Iowa, US networks said.

Harris also won in the West Coast state of Oregon. So far, that gives Trump 211 electoral votes and Harris 153.

The key battleground states, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, have yet to be called.

From AFP


09:15am

Trump wins four states including Ohio, Harris wins Colorado: US media

Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday won four more states up for grabs in the US presidential election, including key Rust Belt prize 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.

From AFP


08:35am

Trump takes Texas + 3 states, Harris wins Delaware: US networks

Republican Donald Trump has claimed four more states in the US presidential election, including big prize Texas, while Democrat Kamala Harris has won in Delaware, US networks projected Tuesday.

Trump also won in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, US media said.

Many of the key battleground states in the US election have yet to be called.

From AFP


08:34am

Florida ballot initiative to extend abortion rights fails: US media

Voters in the US state of Florida cast their ballots Tuesday against a measure that would have overturned the state's ban on abortion after six weeks and allowed the procedure until fetal viability, media reported.

The ballot initiative, which US networks ABC and NBC said had failed, was held alongside the presidential election. It had required at least 60 percent of votes cast in order to pass, a high hurdle to clear in the conservative southeastern state.

Read more


06:55am

Trump, Harris notch first statewide wins as polls close in US presidential race

Republican Donald Trump won eight states in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election while Democrat Kamala Harris captured three states and Washington, D.C., Edison Research projected, but the outcome of the race remained uncertain with critical battleground states unlikely to be called for hours or even days.

The early results were as anticipated, with the contest expected to come down to seven swing states: Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. Opinion polls showed the rivals neck and neck in all seven going into Election Day.

As of 8 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Wednesday), polls had closed in 25 states.

Trump had 90 electoral votes after winning Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee; Harris had gained 27 electoral votes from Vermont, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. A candidate needs a total of 270 votes in the state-by-state Electoral College to claim the presidency.

From Reuters


06:40am, 6 Nov

Polls close in first six US states, including swing state Georgia

Polling stations closed Tuesday in six US states in the bitterly contested election between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump, including in the key battleground of Georgia.

Polling places also closed in Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia in a landmark contest that saw tens of millions of Americans cast their ballots early.

US networks projected Trump as the winner in Indiana and Kentucky, and Harris the victor in Vermont.

The United States was in for a long night of waiting for results, which may be known overnight, or not for days.

Harris is seeking to become the first woman US president, while Trump is seeking a return to power after four years out of the Oval Office.

Polls were to close throughout the evening, untill the last votes are cast in Alaska.

From AFP


05:50am, 6 Nov

Most voters say democracy is under threat, exit polls show

A person votes at Engine Company 15 during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day, at a library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 5, 2024. REUTERS

Nearly three-quarters of voters in Tuesday's presidential election say American democracy is under threat, according to preliminary national exit polls from Edison Research, reflecting the nation's deep anxiety after a contentious campaign between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

Democracy and the economy ranked by far as the most important issues for voters, with around a third of respondents citing each, followed by abortion and immigration at 14% and 11%, the data showed. The poll showed 73% of voters believed democracy was in jeopardy, against just 25% who said it was secure.

Read more


05:25am, 6 Nov

Results of national exit poll on US presidential election

A person wears a t-shirt in support of of Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and and Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz, during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day, at Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Arizona, U.S., November 5, 2024. REUTERS

Democrat Kamala Harris faced Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday in the US presidential election, after the two candidates vied for support by staking positions on issues including abortion, the economy and foreign policy.

Following are preliminary results from an exit poll conducted by Edison Research. Results will be updated as additional poll responses are gathered.

Read more


05:10am, 6 Nov

In US swing state Georgia, a battle for Black male votes

Voters wait in line at the Arizona State University polling location on Election Day in Tempe, Arizona, November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Ronald Jordan was all smiles Tuesday as he entered a polling booth in the US swing state of Georgia, where women voters appeared to outnumber men, but he felt a gnawing concern -- his Black male friends were sitting out the election.

Democratic contender Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump are both seeking to win over Black voters in the crucial southern state -- its largest minority voting bloc –- in a race that could be decided by razor-thin margins.

Read more


05:00am, 6 Nov

Philadelphia officials reject Trump 'massive cheating' claim

A young woman attaches a pin to her jacket after voting at a mobile outdoor vote center at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Election Day, November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump sought to undermine Tuesday the credibility of voting in the biggest city of must-win US state Pennsylvania, an unsupported claim quickly and firmly denied by top Philadelphia officials.

Amid reports of exceptionally high voter turnout in a soundly Democratic area, Trump said there was "a lot of talk about massive cheating" in the city.

Read more


3:00am, 06 Nov

Michigan Muslims shun Harris over Mideast turmoil

Haunted by the daily violence ravaging the Middle East, Soujoud Hamade, a registered Democrat, felt compelled to back Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the US presidential election.

"It is very emotional," the 32-year-old real estate lawyer told AFP after casting her ballot Tuesday at a school in Dearborn, the nation's largest Arab-majority city, where voters could prove decisive in the key battleground of Michigan.

Read more 


1:10am, 06 Nov

Man arrested with flare gun at Capitol

The US Capitol police says it has just arrested a man who "smelled like fuel" and had a "flare gun" at the Capitol visitor centre in Washington DC.

In a post on X, the police say the man was stopped during a screening process at the centre.

"The man smelled like fuel, had a torch and a flare gun," the post says.

The centre is closed for tours today while police investigate, the post adds.

The US Capitol is where Congress, the legislative arm of the federal government, sits.


12:20am, 06 Nov 

Harris to host Election Night watch party at Howard University

Vice President Kamala Harris will host her Election Night watch party at Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, DC, that Harris credits as a launching point in her political career.

Harris elaborated on the decision while appearing on Atlanta radio station V-103's The Big Tigger Morning Show.

"The first office I ever ran for was freshman class representative at Howard University. And to go back tonight to Howard University, my beloved alma mater and be able to hopefully, you know, recognise this day for what it is, is really full circle for me," CNN quoted her as saying.


11:55pm. 05 Nov 

Polls open in Hawaii

Voting opened in Hawaii one of the last states to do so. Hawaii, with four electoral college votes, will be one of the last states to close its polls today at 19:00 local time (05:00 GMT). Some locations in Alaska will remain open an hour later.


11:00pm, 05 Nov 

Trump casts his ballot in Florida

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump, accompanied by former US first lady Melania Trump, speaks to reporters after voting at Mandel Recreation Center on Election Day in Palm Beach, Florida, US, November 5, 2024. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Donald Trump and his wife Melania have just cast their votes at the Mandel Recreation Centre in Palm Beach, Florida.

Wearing his trademark red cap, he's speaking to the media now. "I feel very confident...and it looks like Republicans have shown up in force," he says.

Trump says he was "honoured" to see that the lines are pretty long.


10:55pm, 05 Nov 

RNC files lawsuit to extend voting hours in Pennsylvania

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has filed a lawsuit in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, following the extension of voting hours earlier.

The lawsuit supports the emergency petition to extend the voting hours, after a key software malfunction meant the scanners weren't working.

This led to delays and long lines for voters.


10:25pm, 05 Nov

Over half of Wisconsin likely to vote today

The administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Meagan Wolfe, told NY Times that based on early voting figures in the state and the total vote counts from 2020, she anticipated that more than half of the state's voters were likely to cast their ballots in person today.

A total of 1.51 million early votes were cast this year. In 2020, there were 3.3 million total votes in the battleground state, which President Biden won by just over 20,000 votes.


9:45pm, 05 Nov 

Fake news circulated using FBI insignia: NYT

FBI officials said unknown people had been circulating fake news clips and videos using the bureau's insignia to push false narratives that voters should avoid polling places because of imminent terror attacks, according to the New York Times. The development came hours after officials warned that foreign actors, led by Russia and Iran, were accelerating misinformation efforts.


9:25pm, 05 Nov

Philadelphia to count votes much faster this time

The names of Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz, Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance are shown on an official ballot for the 2024 US presidential election, on Election Day in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Kelly

Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein tells CNN that he believes ballot counting will go much faster in 2024. He said they had started pre-canvassing mail ballots as soon as the polls opened at 7:00am today.

Bluestein said the process will likely go faster because many people have transitioned back to in-person voting at polling places and therefore there will be fewer mail ballots to count than there were in 2020.

The city has also purchased additional equipment to help open envelopes more quickly and "we have more people working than we had in the past."

Although it could not be said for certain, Bluestein said the counting will be much faster this year. As for the result, he assured that it would not take four days to declare results like last time.

Philadelphia is a crucial centre in this election since its state Pennsylvania is a major battleground state with 19 electoral votes and tagged as a must-win for Kamala Harris. 


9:00pm, 05, Nov

Trump's running mate Vance votes in Ohio

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Flint, Michigan, US on November 4, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Rebecca Cook

Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, voted in person a short time ago in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Republican vice-presidential nominee was seen arriving at a polling station there with his wife and their children.

He appeared to be in good spirits.


07:20pm, 5 Nov

Voting begins in rain-hit Wisconsin, Michigan

People stand in a polling station in the 2024 US presidential election on Election Day in Detroit, Michigan, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Rebecca Cook

It's raining in the critical swing states of Wisconsin and Michigan and is likely to continue on and off through the rest of the day. Experts say election day rain can reduce voter turnout slightly, and that can be a factor in a tight election like this. 


07:15pm, 5 Nov

More than half of US's 50 states now voting

Voting has begun in more than 50 US states including Florida, Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and 3 key swing states -- Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.


6:30pm, 5 Nov

What else are Americans voting on today?

Members of the Orthodox Jewish community and other residents wait in line at a polling center on Election Day in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Maye-E Wong

It's not just a choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump today - voters in America have plenty else to decide on:

Abortion rights are on the ballot in 10 states - including the battleground states of Arizona and Nevada

One third of the US Senate - 34 of its 100 seats - is also up for grabs. Democrats currently control the Senate by a one-seat margin

In the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, all 435 seats are up for election, as they are every two years. Republicans currently have a slim majority

Recreational or medical marijuana use is also on the ballot in four states - Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota

Referendums on voting and elections - in some areas, voters will also choose how they want their elections to be run


06:15pm, 5 nov

Polls open in swing state North Carolina

More polls have opened, this time in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina, meaning 11 US states in total are now welcoming voters.

North Carolina, the first swing state today where polls have opened, has had a tough few weeks. In 2020, Donald Trump won the Sun Belt state by a margin of less than 2 percent.

Polling stations opened from 6:00am (1100 GMT) in states including Virginia, North Carolina and New York. Tens of millions of voters are expected to cast their ballots, on top of the more than 82 million people who have already voted early in the preceding weeks.


05:53pm, 5 Nov

Harris or Trump will inherit a mixed legacy in 2024 US election

Americans head to the polls on Tuesday in a mood of discontent and division, with opinion polls showing nearly two-thirds of voters believe the country has been heading in the wrong direction under President Joe Biden.

While the United States economy is the envy of the industrialized world, emerging from COVID shutdowns with strong job growth and wage increases, many Americans complain those gains were gobbled up by high grocery and housing prices.

Read more


05:45pm, 5 Nov

What is the 'Electoral College'?

US Electoral College

The United States is one of the oldest democracies in the world and it still follows the same election system set by its founders nearly 250 years ago. The US presidential election, the process that selects arguably the most powerful person in the world, is a mega-event for the entire planet. But what is the system that makes this election work? What is this "Electoral College" through which Americans will elect who holds the Oval Office for the next four years?

Read more


05:30pm, 5 Nov

Harris to spend election night at Howard University, Washington

Howard University has been preparing to host Kamala Harris for her election night watch party.

Workers set up fencing around the perimeter of the campus, limiting access from nearby streets. Screens and a stage were erected in the university's main quad, where Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are expected to speak.

Harris graduated from the Washington DC University in 1986.

From Reuters


05:22pm, 5 Nov

Where Harris and Trump stand on immigration

Kamala Harris: Harris supports a bipartisan proposal to hire thousands of new border security agents and asylum officers and close the border if crossings reach an average of more than 5,000 migrants a day over a week. She has called for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants already in the country illegally.

Donald Trump: Trump wants to round up millions of undocumented immigrants and detain them in camps before deporting them en masse, using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out deportations without due process. As president, he enacted sweeping anti-immigration policies that included separating migrant children from their parents.

From The New York Times


04:50pm, 5 Nov

How will swing state voters decide the US election 2024 results?

swing state voters impact on US election 2024
Donald Trump Jr. speaks as former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) listens alongside Tiffany Trump's spouse Michael Boulos (2nd L), Tiffany Trump (3rd L), Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump (3rdR) and Eric Trump (R), during a campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

The winner of November's U.S. presidential election will govern a nation of more than 330 million people, but the contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters – a tiny fraction of the populace – in a handful of states.

That's because only seven of the 50 states are truly competitive this year, with the rest all comfortably Democratic or Republican, according to public opinion polls.

Among those seven battlegrounds, Pennsylvania, the most populous, stands out as the most likely state to determine whether Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump is the next president.

The candidates' strategies reflect this reality, with the vast majority of their ad spending and campaign events directed at those seven states that swing between political parties.

Read more


03:50pm, 5 Nov

Thai baby hippo predicts Trump victory

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo, was offered two fruit baskets labelled with the names of the presidential candidates - Donald Trump and his Democrat rival, Kamala Harris.

The baskets were filled with fruits such dragon fruit and watermelons. 

"Moo Deng chose Trump because the piece of dragon fruit was bigger," Khao Kheow Zoo posted on social media platform X.

Moo Deng, who was born in July, has become a social media celebrity with millions of fans worldwide captivated by her adorably clumsy antics. 

From Reuters


03:18pm, 5 Nov

Harris or Trump: America decides in knife-edge election

People cast their ballots on the last day of early voting for the general election in Michigan at the Livingston Educational Service Agency in Howell, Michigan on November 3, 2024. Photo: AFP

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.

Read more


12:39pm, 5 Nov

New Hampshire hamlet tied in first US Election day votes

A resident of Dixville Notch shows their ID as they check in to cast their ballots in the US election at midnight in the living room of the Tillotson House at the Balsams Grand Resort, marking the first votes in the US election, in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire on November 5, 2024. The six people voting in Dixville Notch, four Republican and two undeclared, kick off Election Day at the stroke of midnight. Photo: AFP

Voters in the US hamlet of Dixville Notch launched Election Day in the first minutes of Tuesday with a tied vote, mirroring the incredibly close national polls in the White House race.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump each got three ballots in the tiny community in the northeastern state of New Hampshire which for decades has kicked off Election Day at the stroke of midnight Monday -- hours before the rest of the country's polling stations open.

Read more


02:29pm, 5 Nov

Harris, Trump campaign draws to a close before final vote

This combination of pictures created on November 04, 2024 shows US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (L) arrives to speak during a campaign rally on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 4, 2024, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) waves as he leaves after speaking at his last campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both predicted victory as they campaigned across Pennsylvania and other battleground states on Monday in the final, frantic day of an exceptionally close U.S. presidential election.

The campaign has seen head-spinning twists: two assassination attempts and a felony conviction for Republican former President Trump, and Democratic Vice President Harris' surprise elevation to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden, 81, dropped his reelection bid under pressure from his own party. More than $2.6 billion has been spent to sway voters' minds since March, according to AdImpact, an analytics firm.

Read more


01:46pm, 5 Nov

When will we know who won?

As Americans prepare to vote on Election Day Tuesday, officials are calling for patience as they tally ballots in what could be a historically close presidential race -- and warning that it could take days to find out who has won.

Under the US system, citizens do not vote directly for their leader. Instead, their ballots elect the 538 members of a group called the Electoral College, which then elects the president and vice president.

Read more


08:36am, 5 Nov

What if the US election ends in a Trump-Harris tie?

So what exactly happens if neither Kamala Harris or Donald Trump achieves the Electoral College majority required to win the US election?

While not highly likely, such an outcome remains possible, tormenting Americans already perched painfully on the edge of their seats ahead of the November 5 election.

Read more


12:36am, 5 Nov

US to make history either way

Harris vs Trump 2024 US election race

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump launched a final frenzied campaign blitz yesterday, hitting must-win Pennsylvania on the last day of a volatile US presidential race that polls say is hurtling towards a photo finish.

At his first rally of the day in North Carolina, Trump, 78, shrugged off accusations that his age and the grueling election schedule had left him physically and mentally exhausted.

Read more


12:23am, 5 Nov

How the US elects its president

How the US elects its president

You vote for a candidate and the candidate with the most votes wins.

It, however, does not work like that in the US. There the electoral college decides the winner.

Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has electoral votes equal to the number of representatives it has in the Senate and the House of Representatives, which depends on the population of the state. Big states have more representatives -- California has 54 electoral votes.

Read more


12:54pm, 5 Nov

Texas, Missouri sue to block Justice Department from sending poll monitors

Voters mark their ballots at a Ferguson polling station during Election Day in Missouri, US, November 3, 2020. REUTERS File Photo

The Republican-led states of Missouri and Texas sued the US Justice Department on Monday to block the federal government from sending lawyers to their states on Election Day to monitor for compliance with federal voting rights laws.

Both states are among 27 the Justice Department said on Friday it would send staff out to monitor voting locations, as it has done regularly during national elections.

Read more


09:50am, 5 Nov

Important dates in the US presidential race

A woman cheers during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 4, 2024. REUTERS

US voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to cast their votes in the presidential election after a closely fought contest between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and Republican former President Donald Trump.

Here is a timeline of events that will take place between now and Inauguration Day in January 2025.

Read more


09:24am, 5 Nov

Who has Trump threatened to prosecute if he becomes president again?

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to investigate or prosecute political rivals, election workers and left-wing Americans if he becomes president again.

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris says that if Trump wins Tuesday's presidential election, he will seek extreme and unchecked powers.

Read more


12:46am, 5 Nov

Pennsylvania holds the key

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump remain in a tight race in the country's seven battleground states that will determine who will be the next president of the United States of America.

According to the RealClearPolitics Poll Average, Vice President Harris held marginal leads in Wisconsin (+0.4) and Michigan (+1.2). Former president Trump was ahead in Nevada (+1.0), North Carolina (+1.5), Georgia (+1.7), Arizona (+2.7), and Pennsylvania (+0.3).

Read more


12:03am, 5 Nov

Bangla will be on New York City's ballot papers

In today's US elections, New York City ballots will feature Bangla, making it one of the four languages available alongside English for voters.

"We are required to service four other languages besides English. They are Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Bengali as the Asian languages," said Micheal J Ryan, executive director, Board of Elections, NYC.

Read more


12am, Nov 5

What Americans are voting for

It's not just the Harris-Trump show: US voters will cast ballots today for members of Congress, tens of thousands of state and local officials, and in multiple referendums on topics including hot-button issues like abortion.

Read more


12am, 5 Nov

Trump counts on young men

In this election, Trump has made a concerted effort to court Gen Z men, especially white, Black and Latino men without a college degree, seeking out the podcasts and influencers that they flock to and appearing on shows where he exhibits a bravado and disdain for cultural norms.

In recent years, young men have become more conservative and increasingly anxious about their economic status.

Read more


12am, 5 Nov

Harris banks on women's votes

In an ad for Kamala Harris, a woman marks her ballot for the Democratic candidate while her husband thinks she's voting for Republican Donald Trump: "What happens in the booth, stays in the booth" a voiceover says.

The 30-second-clip, narrated by actor Julia Roberts, shows the couple arriving at a polling station wearing baseball caps featuring the American flag, a symbol often sported by Trump supporters.

Read more


08:49am, 4 Nov

Trump rhetoric darkens, Harris vows Gaza peace in final hours

Kamala Harris courted voters angered by the Gaza war while Donald Trump doubled down on violent rhetoric with a comment about journalists being shot as the tense US election campaign headed into its final hours.

The Democratic vice president and the Republican former president frantically blitzed several swing states as they tried to win over the last holdouts with less than 36 hours left until polls open on Election Day.

Read more


12am, 4 Nov

'A landslide' or 'lot of fraud'

Republican presidential nominee and former US president Donald Trump gestures on the day of a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, US on Saturday. PHOTO: REUTERS

One day before the US presidential election, supporters of Donald Trump are ready to reject the results -- unless their man wins.

"I really wouldn't believe it if they told me she won," Brandon Dent, 22, told AFP, referring to Trump's rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

"He'll take it in a landslide," the delivery driver said, observing the thousands of fellow Trump supporters lining up to see the president speak in the Virginia city of Salem, nestled among gentle mountains brushed in red and orange by the fall foliage.

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THAT'S IT FOR NOW...

Trump retakes the White House

Photo: AFP

Highlights

  • The Daily Star is using electoral college vote data from The Associated Press
  • Trump wins battleground states in North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, leads in Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona
  • Republicans take control of US senate
  • Control of US congress still up for grabs
  • Democracy and economy rank as the most important issues
  • Trump claims his campaign 'made history' during this election

Where Things Stand

Donald Trump has won the US presidential election. He carried four swing states and leads in the other three, already securing 277 votes in the Electoral College.

For the first time in history, the Senate will have two Black women serving simultaneously: Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland. The Republicans, however, have wrestled controlled of the Senate.

The US Congress still remains in the balance. The Republican party leads the race, with results still trickling in.

Follow the live updates below -


4:40pm

Wisconsin win puts Donald Trump over the edge and into the White House

The latest in a series of swing states to go red, Wisconsin goes the way of Donald Trump, giving him 10 electoral college votes to put the total at 277 for the former president.

This means Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States of America. He had already claimed victory in a late night address to his supporters at West Palm Beach, Florida.

Kamala Harris, having lost 4 of 7 key battleground states, remains at 224 electoral college votes. She trails in the other swing states of Michigan, Nevada, and Arizona.


1:40pm

Trump claims victory in US 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."

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.

From AFP


1:28pm

Trump wins Pennsylvania, key battleground state

Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral college votes, was the most crucial swing state in the 2024 election. Trump has won the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, taking him within touching distance of a return to the US presidency after four years.

Key states yet to be called are Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona, with Trump leading all of them. Other states include traditionally Republican stronghold Alaska.


1:17pm

Fox News declares for Trump

Ahead of all networks, Fox declares the 2024 election for Trump, as it calls key states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin for him.


1:12pm

Trump takes Pennsylvania: reports

Donald Trump is set to take a huge stride on his way to the White House as various US media outlets are reporting that he has taken the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with its 19 electoral votes.

The rust-belt state, part of the famed "blue wall" that won Joe Biden the presidency in 2020, was crucial for both candidates. With Trump taking Pennsylvania, this leaves Kamala Harris only a few paths to 270, all of which require improbable upturning of leads.


12:50pm

Kamala Harris takes New Hampshire

The 4 electoral college votes of New Hampshire go to Kamala Harris, who has been able to carry most traditionally Democratic states, but struggled to make inroads into the seven key swing states as of now.

Among uncalled states, Trump leads in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, while Harris is up in Minnesota as of now. 


12:28pm

Trump set to address celebrating supporters in Florida

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters gathered in Florida on election night, expecting the ex-president to speak after he notched key wins in the race for the White House.

Men donning formal suits and women in dresses mingled at the Palm Beach County Convention Center event, where they rubbed shoulders with a die-hard Trump fan sporting their political hero's name emblazoned on a leather vest.

Whether dressed in formal attire or more casual wear, many of the attendees wore Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps.

Trump pushed closer to victory over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, leaving the Democrat the narrowest of remaining paths to stop him scoring a stunning political comeback.

From AFP


12:17pm

Republicans seize control of US Senate: networks

Republicans wrested the US Senate from Democratic control, US media projected early Wednesday, ending four years in the minority and providing a huge boost to the party in its quest to dominate every branch of government.

The victory means that the incoming president will get enormous support to enact their agenda and appoint justices to the powerful US Supreme Court if it's Donald Trump -- but legislative deadlock if it is his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

From AFP


12:02pm

Georgia, key battleground state, goes to Trump

Donald Trump has emerged as the winner in the south-eastern state of Georgia, and bagged its 16 electoral votes. It is the second of the battleground states that has been called for the former president on election night.

From CNN


11:57am

Kamala Harris won't address supporters tonight

Kamala Harris will not address her supporters on election night, her campaign said Wednesday, after Donald Trump pushed closer to victory in the tense US presidential vote.

"You won't hear from the vice president tonight but you will hear from her tomorrow," Cedric Richmond, Harris campaign co-chair, told a watch party at Howard University in Washington.

From AFP


11:44am

Some media outlets call Georgia for Trump

Georgia, a crucial swing state with 16 electoral votes, is swinging towards Donald Trump. With 16 electoral college votes, the state has already reported 97 percent of votes with Trump taking a lead of over 100,000 votes, CNN reports. 

If this lead holds, the only way remaining for Kamala Harris to become president will be to take all three of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.


10:57am

North Carolina first of the swing states to be called, Donald Trump bags 16 electoral votes

BBC has just reported that Donald Trump has won the battleground state of North Carolina, gaining its 16 electoral college votes.

This is good news for the Trump campaign, as it puts him on the path to securing the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the race.

But the majority of other swing states have yet to be called, meaning things could still tilt in Kamala Harris's favour, particularly if she can win all three Rust Belt states - Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

While North Carolina's win is big for Republicans, it is in line with how the state has voted in the past: Trump won North Carolina in both 2016, with a margin of 3.66%, and 2020, with a smaller margin of 1.34%.

The last Democratic candidate to win the state was Barack Obama in 2008. Obama later lost the state in his 2012 re-election bid to Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

From BBC


10:35am

Why Pennsylvania and the 'blue wall' is still so interesting?

The "blue wall" of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania that was crucial for Joe Biden's win in 2020 remains crucial in 2024. Any candidate who takes all three states will be most likely to take the White House, no matter the result in other swing states.

With Kamala Harris leading narrowly in Michigan, and Donald Trump doing the same in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the focus now shifts to the votes left to be counted in each of these states.

In Wisconsin, votes remain uncounted in the urban centres of Milwauke and Madison and for Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pittsburg, and Philadelphia are yet to count votes, all either urban centres or traditionally Democrat areas. That gives Kamala Harris a chance to narrow the gap in these states, but will it be enough to turn them around and give her the electoral college votes?  


10:11am

Democrat Kamala Harris on Tuesday won California in the US presidential election, taking its huge slate of 54 electoral votes, while Republican rival Donald Trump was projected to win in Idaho and Iowa, US networks said.

Harris also won in the West Coast state of Oregon. So far, that gives Trump 211 electoral votes and Harris 153.

The key battleground states, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, have yet to be called.

From AFP


09:15am

Trump wins four states including Ohio, Harris wins Colorado: US media

Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday won four more states up for grabs in the US presidential election, including key Rust Belt prize 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.

From AFP


08:35am

Trump takes Texas + 3 states, Harris wins Delaware: US networks

Republican Donald Trump has claimed four more states in the US presidential election, including big prize Texas, while Democrat Kamala Harris has won in Delaware, US networks projected Tuesday.

Trump also won in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, US media said.

Many of the key battleground states in the US election have yet to be called.

From AFP


08:34am

Florida ballot initiative to extend abortion rights fails: US media

Voters in the US state of Florida cast their ballots Tuesday against a measure that would have overturned the state's ban on abortion after six weeks and allowed the procedure until fetal viability, media reported.

The ballot initiative, which US networks ABC and NBC said had failed, was held alongside the presidential election. It had required at least 60 percent of votes cast in order to pass, a high hurdle to clear in the conservative southeastern state.

Read more


06:55am

Trump, Harris notch first statewide wins as polls close in US presidential race

Republican Donald Trump won eight states in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election while Democrat Kamala Harris captured three states and Washington, D.C., Edison Research projected, but the outcome of the race remained uncertain with critical battleground states unlikely to be called for hours or even days.

The early results were as anticipated, with the contest expected to come down to seven swing states: Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. Opinion polls showed the rivals neck and neck in all seven going into Election Day.

As of 8 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Wednesday), polls had closed in 25 states.

Trump had 90 electoral votes after winning Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee; Harris had gained 27 electoral votes from Vermont, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. A candidate needs a total of 270 votes in the state-by-state Electoral College to claim the presidency.

From Reuters


06:40am, 6 Nov

Polls close in first six US states, including swing state Georgia

Polling stations closed Tuesday in six US states in the bitterly contested election between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump, including in the key battleground of Georgia.

Polling places also closed in Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia in a landmark contest that saw tens of millions of Americans cast their ballots early.

US networks projected Trump as the winner in Indiana and Kentucky, and Harris the victor in Vermont.

The United States was in for a long night of waiting for results, which may be known overnight, or not for days.

Harris is seeking to become the first woman US president, while Trump is seeking a return to power after four years out of the Oval Office.

Polls were to close throughout the evening, untill the last votes are cast in Alaska.

From AFP


05:50am, 6 Nov

Most voters say democracy is under threat, exit polls show

A person votes at Engine Company 15 during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day, at a library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 5, 2024. REUTERS

Nearly three-quarters of voters in Tuesday's presidential election say American democracy is under threat, according to preliminary national exit polls from Edison Research, reflecting the nation's deep anxiety after a contentious campaign between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

Democracy and the economy ranked by far as the most important issues for voters, with around a third of respondents citing each, followed by abortion and immigration at 14% and 11%, the data showed. The poll showed 73% of voters believed democracy was in jeopardy, against just 25% who said it was secure.

Read more


05:25am, 6 Nov

Results of national exit poll on US presidential election

A person wears a t-shirt in support of of Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and and Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz, during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day, at Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Arizona, U.S., November 5, 2024. REUTERS

Democrat Kamala Harris faced Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday in the US presidential election, after the two candidates vied for support by staking positions on issues including abortion, the economy and foreign policy.

Following are preliminary results from an exit poll conducted by Edison Research. Results will be updated as additional poll responses are gathered.

Read more


05:10am, 6 Nov

In US swing state Georgia, a battle for Black male votes

Voters wait in line at the Arizona State University polling location on Election Day in Tempe, Arizona, November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Ronald Jordan was all smiles Tuesday as he entered a polling booth in the US swing state of Georgia, where women voters appeared to outnumber men, but he felt a gnawing concern -- his Black male friends were sitting out the election.

Democratic contender Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump are both seeking to win over Black voters in the crucial southern state -- its largest minority voting bloc –- in a race that could be decided by razor-thin margins.

Read more


05:00am, 6 Nov

Philadelphia officials reject Trump 'massive cheating' claim

A young woman attaches a pin to her jacket after voting at a mobile outdoor vote center at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Election Day, November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump sought to undermine Tuesday the credibility of voting in the biggest city of must-win US state Pennsylvania, an unsupported claim quickly and firmly denied by top Philadelphia officials.

Amid reports of exceptionally high voter turnout in a soundly Democratic area, Trump said there was "a lot of talk about massive cheating" in the city.

Read more


3:00am, 06 Nov

Michigan Muslims shun Harris over Mideast turmoil

Haunted by the daily violence ravaging the Middle East, Soujoud Hamade, a registered Democrat, felt compelled to back Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the US presidential election.

"It is very emotional," the 32-year-old real estate lawyer told AFP after casting her ballot Tuesday at a school in Dearborn, the nation's largest Arab-majority city, where voters could prove decisive in the key battleground of Michigan.

Read more 


1:10am, 06 Nov

Man arrested with flare gun at Capitol

The US Capitol police says it has just arrested a man who "smelled like fuel" and had a "flare gun" at the Capitol visitor centre in Washington DC.

In a post on X, the police say the man was stopped during a screening process at the centre.

"The man smelled like fuel, had a torch and a flare gun," the post says.

The centre is closed for tours today while police investigate, the post adds.

The US Capitol is where Congress, the legislative arm of the federal government, sits.


12:20am, 06 Nov 

Harris to host Election Night watch party at Howard University

Vice President Kamala Harris will host her Election Night watch party at Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, DC, that Harris credits as a launching point in her political career.

Harris elaborated on the decision while appearing on Atlanta radio station V-103's The Big Tigger Morning Show.

"The first office I ever ran for was freshman class representative at Howard University. And to go back tonight to Howard University, my beloved alma mater and be able to hopefully, you know, recognise this day for what it is, is really full circle for me," CNN quoted her as saying.


11:55pm. 05 Nov 

Polls open in Hawaii

Voting opened in Hawaii one of the last states to do so. Hawaii, with four electoral college votes, will be one of the last states to close its polls today at 19:00 local time (05:00 GMT). Some locations in Alaska will remain open an hour later.


11:00pm, 05 Nov 

Trump casts his ballot in Florida

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump, accompanied by former US first lady Melania Trump, speaks to reporters after voting at Mandel Recreation Center on Election Day in Palm Beach, Florida, US, November 5, 2024. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Donald Trump and his wife Melania have just cast their votes at the Mandel Recreation Centre in Palm Beach, Florida.

Wearing his trademark red cap, he's speaking to the media now. "I feel very confident...and it looks like Republicans have shown up in force," he says.

Trump says he was "honoured" to see that the lines are pretty long.


10:55pm, 05 Nov 

RNC files lawsuit to extend voting hours in Pennsylvania

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has filed a lawsuit in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, following the extension of voting hours earlier.

The lawsuit supports the emergency petition to extend the voting hours, after a key software malfunction meant the scanners weren't working.

This led to delays and long lines for voters.


10:25pm, 05 Nov

Over half of Wisconsin likely to vote today

The administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Meagan Wolfe, told NY Times that based on early voting figures in the state and the total vote counts from 2020, she anticipated that more than half of the state's voters were likely to cast their ballots in person today.

A total of 1.51 million early votes were cast this year. In 2020, there were 3.3 million total votes in the battleground state, which President Biden won by just over 20,000 votes.


9:45pm, 05 Nov 

Fake news circulated using FBI insignia: NYT

FBI officials said unknown people had been circulating fake news clips and videos using the bureau's insignia to push false narratives that voters should avoid polling places because of imminent terror attacks, according to the New York Times. The development came hours after officials warned that foreign actors, led by Russia and Iran, were accelerating misinformation efforts.


9:25pm, 05 Nov

Philadelphia to count votes much faster this time

The names of Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz, Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance are shown on an official ballot for the 2024 US presidential election, on Election Day in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Kelly

Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein tells CNN that he believes ballot counting will go much faster in 2024. He said they had started pre-canvassing mail ballots as soon as the polls opened at 7:00am today.

Bluestein said the process will likely go faster because many people have transitioned back to in-person voting at polling places and therefore there will be fewer mail ballots to count than there were in 2020.

The city has also purchased additional equipment to help open envelopes more quickly and "we have more people working than we had in the past."

Although it could not be said for certain, Bluestein said the counting will be much faster this year. As for the result, he assured that it would not take four days to declare results like last time.

Philadelphia is a crucial centre in this election since its state Pennsylvania is a major battleground state with 19 electoral votes and tagged as a must-win for Kamala Harris. 


9:00pm, 05, Nov

Trump's running mate Vance votes in Ohio

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Flint, Michigan, US on November 4, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Rebecca Cook

Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, voted in person a short time ago in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Republican vice-presidential nominee was seen arriving at a polling station there with his wife and their children.

He appeared to be in good spirits.


07:20pm, 5 Nov

Voting begins in rain-hit Wisconsin, Michigan

People stand in a polling station in the 2024 US presidential election on Election Day in Detroit, Michigan, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Rebecca Cook

It's raining in the critical swing states of Wisconsin and Michigan and is likely to continue on and off through the rest of the day. Experts say election day rain can reduce voter turnout slightly, and that can be a factor in a tight election like this. 


07:15pm, 5 Nov

More than half of US's 50 states now voting

Voting has begun in more than 50 US states including Florida, Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and 3 key swing states -- Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.


6:30pm, 5 Nov

What else are Americans voting on today?

Members of the Orthodox Jewish community and other residents wait in line at a polling center on Election Day in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US, November 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Maye-E Wong

It's not just a choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump today - voters in America have plenty else to decide on:

Abortion rights are on the ballot in 10 states - including the battleground states of Arizona and Nevada

One third of the US Senate - 34 of its 100 seats - is also up for grabs. Democrats currently control the Senate by a one-seat margin

In the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, all 435 seats are up for election, as they are every two years. Republicans currently have a slim majority

Recreational or medical marijuana use is also on the ballot in four states - Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota

Referendums on voting and elections - in some areas, voters will also choose how they want their elections to be run


06:15pm, 5 nov

Polls open in swing state North Carolina

More polls have opened, this time in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina, meaning 11 US states in total are now welcoming voters.

North Carolina, the first swing state today where polls have opened, has had a tough few weeks. In 2020, Donald Trump won the Sun Belt state by a margin of less than 2 percent.

Polling stations opened from 6:00am (1100 GMT) in states including Virginia, North Carolina and New York. Tens of millions of voters are expected to cast their ballots, on top of the more than 82 million people who have already voted early in the preceding weeks.


05:53pm, 5 Nov

Harris or Trump will inherit a mixed legacy in 2024 US election

Americans head to the polls on Tuesday in a mood of discontent and division, with opinion polls showing nearly two-thirds of voters believe the country has been heading in the wrong direction under President Joe Biden.

While the United States economy is the envy of the industrialized world, emerging from COVID shutdowns with strong job growth and wage increases, many Americans complain those gains were gobbled up by high grocery and housing prices.

Read more


05:45pm, 5 Nov

What is the 'Electoral College'?

US Electoral College

The United States is one of the oldest democracies in the world and it still follows the same election system set by its founders nearly 250 years ago. The US presidential election, the process that selects arguably the most powerful person in the world, is a mega-event for the entire planet. But what is the system that makes this election work? What is this "Electoral College" through which Americans will elect who holds the Oval Office for the next four years?

Read more


05:30pm, 5 Nov

Harris to spend election night at Howard University, Washington

Howard University has been preparing to host Kamala Harris for her election night watch party.

Workers set up fencing around the perimeter of the campus, limiting access from nearby streets. Screens and a stage were erected in the university's main quad, where Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are expected to speak.

Harris graduated from the Washington DC University in 1986.

From Reuters


05:22pm, 5 Nov

Where Harris and Trump stand on immigration

Kamala Harris: Harris supports a bipartisan proposal to hire thousands of new border security agents and asylum officers and close the border if crossings reach an average of more than 5,000 migrants a day over a week. She has called for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants already in the country illegally.

Donald Trump: Trump wants to round up millions of undocumented immigrants and detain them in camps before deporting them en masse, using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out deportations without due process. As president, he enacted sweeping anti-immigration policies that included separating migrant children from their parents.

From The New York Times


04:50pm, 5 Nov

How will swing state voters decide the US election 2024 results?

swing state voters impact on US election 2024
Donald Trump Jr. speaks as former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) listens alongside Tiffany Trump's spouse Michael Boulos (2nd L), Tiffany Trump (3rd L), Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump (3rdR) and Eric Trump (R), during a campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

The winner of November's U.S. presidential election will govern a nation of more than 330 million people, but the contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters – a tiny fraction of the populace – in a handful of states.

That's because only seven of the 50 states are truly competitive this year, with the rest all comfortably Democratic or Republican, according to public opinion polls.

Among those seven battlegrounds, Pennsylvania, the most populous, stands out as the most likely state to determine whether Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump is the next president.

The candidates' strategies reflect this reality, with the vast majority of their ad spending and campaign events directed at those seven states that swing between political parties.

Read more


03:50pm, 5 Nov

Thai baby hippo predicts Trump victory

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo, was offered two fruit baskets labelled with the names of the presidential candidates - Donald Trump and his Democrat rival, Kamala Harris.

The baskets were filled with fruits such dragon fruit and watermelons. 

"Moo Deng chose Trump because the piece of dragon fruit was bigger," Khao Kheow Zoo posted on social media platform X.

Moo Deng, who was born in July, has become a social media celebrity with millions of fans worldwide captivated by her adorably clumsy antics. 

From Reuters


03:18pm, 5 Nov

Harris or Trump: America decides in knife-edge election

People cast their ballots on the last day of early voting for the general election in Michigan at the Livingston Educational Service Agency in Howell, Michigan on November 3, 2024. Photo: AFP

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.

Read more


12:39pm, 5 Nov

New Hampshire hamlet tied in first US Election day votes

A resident of Dixville Notch shows their ID as they check in to cast their ballots in the US election at midnight in the living room of the Tillotson House at the Balsams Grand Resort, marking the first votes in the US election, in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire on November 5, 2024. The six people voting in Dixville Notch, four Republican and two undeclared, kick off Election Day at the stroke of midnight. Photo: AFP

Voters in the US hamlet of Dixville Notch launched Election Day in the first minutes of Tuesday with a tied vote, mirroring the incredibly close national polls in the White House race.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump each got three ballots in the tiny community in the northeastern state of New Hampshire which for decades has kicked off Election Day at the stroke of midnight Monday -- hours before the rest of the country's polling stations open.

Read more


02:29pm, 5 Nov

Harris, Trump campaign draws to a close before final vote

This combination of pictures created on November 04, 2024 shows US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (L) arrives to speak during a campaign rally on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 4, 2024, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) waves as he leaves after speaking at his last campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both predicted victory as they campaigned across Pennsylvania and other battleground states on Monday in the final, frantic day of an exceptionally close U.S. presidential election.

The campaign has seen head-spinning twists: two assassination attempts and a felony conviction for Republican former President Trump, and Democratic Vice President Harris' surprise elevation to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden, 81, dropped his reelection bid under pressure from his own party. More than $2.6 billion has been spent to sway voters' minds since March, according to AdImpact, an analytics firm.

Read more


01:46pm, 5 Nov

When will we know who won?

As Americans prepare to vote on Election Day Tuesday, officials are calling for patience as they tally ballots in what could be a historically close presidential race -- and warning that it could take days to find out who has won.

Under the US system, citizens do not vote directly for their leader. Instead, their ballots elect the 538 members of a group called the Electoral College, which then elects the president and vice president.

Read more


08:36am, 5 Nov

What if the US election ends in a Trump-Harris tie?

So what exactly happens if neither Kamala Harris or Donald Trump achieves the Electoral College majority required to win the US election?

While not highly likely, such an outcome remains possible, tormenting Americans already perched painfully on the edge of their seats ahead of the November 5 election.

Read more


12:36am, 5 Nov

US to make history either way

Harris vs Trump 2024 US election race

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump launched a final frenzied campaign blitz yesterday, hitting must-win Pennsylvania on the last day of a volatile US presidential race that polls say is hurtling towards a photo finish.

At his first rally of the day in North Carolina, Trump, 78, shrugged off accusations that his age and the grueling election schedule had left him physically and mentally exhausted.

Read more


12:23am, 5 Nov

How the US elects its president

How the US elects its president

You vote for a candidate and the candidate with the most votes wins.

It, however, does not work like that in the US. There the electoral college decides the winner.

Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has electoral votes equal to the number of representatives it has in the Senate and the House of Representatives, which depends on the population of the state. Big states have more representatives -- California has 54 electoral votes.

Read more


12:54pm, 5 Nov

Texas, Missouri sue to block Justice Department from sending poll monitors

Voters mark their ballots at a Ferguson polling station during Election Day in Missouri, US, November 3, 2020. REUTERS File Photo

The Republican-led states of Missouri and Texas sued the US Justice Department on Monday to block the federal government from sending lawyers to their states on Election Day to monitor for compliance with federal voting rights laws.

Both states are among 27 the Justice Department said on Friday it would send staff out to monitor voting locations, as it has done regularly during national elections.

Read more


09:50am, 5 Nov

Important dates in the US presidential race

A woman cheers during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 4, 2024. REUTERS

US voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to cast their votes in the presidential election after a closely fought contest between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and Republican former President Donald Trump.

Here is a timeline of events that will take place between now and Inauguration Day in January 2025.

Read more


09:24am, 5 Nov

Who has Trump threatened to prosecute if he becomes president again?

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to investigate or prosecute political rivals, election workers and left-wing Americans if he becomes president again.

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris says that if Trump wins Tuesday's presidential election, he will seek extreme and unchecked powers.

Read more


12:46am, 5 Nov

Pennsylvania holds the key

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump remain in a tight race in the country's seven battleground states that will determine who will be the next president of the United States of America.

According to the RealClearPolitics Poll Average, Vice President Harris held marginal leads in Wisconsin (+0.4) and Michigan (+1.2). Former president Trump was ahead in Nevada (+1.0), North Carolina (+1.5), Georgia (+1.7), Arizona (+2.7), and Pennsylvania (+0.3).

Read more


12:03am, 5 Nov

Bangla will be on New York City's ballot papers

In today's US elections, New York City ballots will feature Bangla, making it one of the four languages available alongside English for voters.

"We are required to service four other languages besides English. They are Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Bengali as the Asian languages," said Micheal J Ryan, executive director, Board of Elections, NYC.

Read more


12am, Nov 5

What Americans are voting for

It's not just the Harris-Trump show: US voters will cast ballots today for members of Congress, tens of thousands of state and local officials, and in multiple referendums on topics including hot-button issues like abortion.

Read more


12am, 5 Nov

Trump counts on young men

In this election, Trump has made a concerted effort to court Gen Z men, especially white, Black and Latino men without a college degree, seeking out the podcasts and influencers that they flock to and appearing on shows where he exhibits a bravado and disdain for cultural norms.

In recent years, young men have become more conservative and increasingly anxious about their economic status.

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12am, 5 Nov

Harris banks on women's votes

In an ad for Kamala Harris, a woman marks her ballot for the Democratic candidate while her husband thinks she's voting for Republican Donald Trump: "What happens in the booth, stays in the booth" a voiceover says.

The 30-second-clip, narrated by actor Julia Roberts, shows the couple arriving at a polling station wearing baseball caps featuring the American flag, a symbol often sported by Trump supporters.

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08:49am, 4 Nov

Trump rhetoric darkens, Harris vows Gaza peace in final hours

Kamala Harris courted voters angered by the Gaza war while Donald Trump doubled down on violent rhetoric with a comment about journalists being shot as the tense US election campaign headed into its final hours.

The Democratic vice president and the Republican former president frantically blitzed several swing states as they tried to win over the last holdouts with less than 36 hours left until polls open on Election Day.

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12am, 4 Nov

'A landslide' or 'lot of fraud'

Republican presidential nominee and former US president Donald Trump gestures on the day of a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, US on Saturday. PHOTO: REUTERS

One day before the US presidential election, supporters of Donald Trump are ready to reject the results -- unless their man wins.

"I really wouldn't believe it if they told me she won," Brandon Dent, 22, told AFP, referring to Trump's rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

"He'll take it in a landslide," the delivery driver said, observing the thousands of fellow Trump supporters lining up to see the president speak in the Virginia city of Salem, nestled among gentle mountains brushed in red and orange by the fall foliage.

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