WASHINGTON: Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have secured initial victories in reliably Republican and Democratic states, respectively, as the US makes its decision in a pivotal election.
Polls closed in key battlegrounds including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, although results remain too early to call.
Voting continued in Nevada and other parts of the West on Election Day, as millions of Americans added their ballots to the 84 million cast early, choosing between candidates with sharply contrasting views for the nation.
Trump claimed Florida, a state that has leaned Republican in recent elections, and won in Texas, South Carolina, and Indiana. Harris secured Democratic bastions like New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
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According to AP VoteCast, the state of democracy was a significant motivator for Harris's backers, reflecting the Democratic nominee’s closing argument portraying Trump as a "fascist".
The survey of over 110,000 voters nationwide depicted a nation yearning for change. Trump’s supporters focused on immigration and inflation, issues he has highlighted since his campaign began.
Most casting ballots on Election Day found a smooth process, with only isolated incidents like long lines and technical issues.
Harris has pledged bipartisan cooperation to address economic concerns, without major shifts from President Joe Biden’s policies. Trump has promised to replace thousands of federal workers with loyalists, impose tariffs broadly, and launch a vast deportation operation.
They entered the election focused on swing states, including the "blue wall" of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, carried by Trump in 2016 before Biden won them in 2020, as well as Arizona and Georgia.
Trump voted in Palm Beach, Florida, and later remarked on a Wisconsin radio station, "I’m watching these results. So far so good."
Harris engaged with radio stations in battleground states and visited the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, carrying her favourite snack, Doritos.
Addressing staffers, Harris said, "This truly represents the best of who we are," and continued calling voters.
The tight race raised the possibility that a winner might not be declared on election night.
Trump denied plans to instruct supporters against violence if Harris wins, citing, "they are not violent people." After an attack on the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, by his supporters, he stated he would accept the election results if fair.
After visiting the DNC, Harris intended to attend a party at her alma mater, Howard University.
Federal, state, and local officials voiced confidence in the election system's integrity, while bracing for potential foreign disinformation and security threats.
In Georgia’s Fulton County, 32 polling places received bomb threats, causing brief evacuations. The threats were deemed non-credible but extended voting hours at five locations.
Bomb threats also extended voting in two Pennsylvania counties, Clearfield and Chester.
Both parties have lawyers ready for possible legal challenges post-election. Law enforcement is on high alert for potential violence.
Harris, 60, could become the first woman, Black woman, and person of South Asian descent as president, and the first sitting vice president to win the presidency in 36 years.
Trump, 78, could become the oldest elected president and the first since 1892 to win another term after losing, as well as the first convicted felon to assume the presidency. He survived an assassination attempt in July and another was thwarted in September.
Harris condemned Trump for endangering women by nominating justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and, in campaign's final hours, aimed for a more positive tone.
Voters also decided on numerous races affecting congressional control and state measures on abortion, responding to the Supreme Court's 2022 Roe v. Wade reversal.
In Florida, a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights fell short, marking the first such failure since Roe was overturned. Trump declined to disclose his vote on it, admonishing a reporter.
JD Jorgensen, an independent voter in Black Mountain, North Carolina, affected by Hurricane Helene, emphasised voters should have already made decisions.
