US election 2024 results : Donald Trump-Kamala Harris race on knife’s edge as voting begins
Polling stations opened across the eastern and central US on Tuesday morning as voters cast their ballots to pick the next President.
Early voting in key battleground states has already shattered records, setting the stage for a high-stakes race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Voting has begun in ten states, including key swing states of Arizona and Wisconsin.
Other states include the states of Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Arkansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Record Early Turnout in Battleground States
Election Day voting began under rainy skies in some areas, but the enthusiasm of American voters remained palpable as of Monday, more than 82 million Americans had already cast their ballots — a number that significantly eclipses early voter turnout in the 2020 election. With nearly half the votes already counted before Election Day, the results will likely come in faster than in past cycles, though the final tally may take several days, especially in closely contested states.
In Georgia, over 4 million people voted early, prompting one top official in the Secretary of State’s office to predict that Election Day could feel like a “ghost town” at the polls. Georgia, a key swing state, has been at the center of national attention after flipping between the Republican and Democratic nominees in the past two presidential elections.
Similarly, North Carolina saw a record 4.4 million voters cast their ballots early, representing nearly 57% of registered voters in the state. Election officials in western North Carolina, which was hit by Hurricane Helene last month, hailed the resilience of local communities, noting that turnout in the hurricane-stricken counties was even higher, at 59%. “The voters and election workers in these areas are truly an inspiration,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
First polls since Capitol riot
This election marks the first presidential contest since the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, an event that followed Trump’s repeated claims that the 2020 election was “stolen.” Despite multiple audits, recounts, and legal challenges, Trump’s narrative about the legitimacy of the 2020 election remains entrenched among many of his supporters.
A recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that a significant portion of Republicans still doubts the integrity of the voting process. Many worry that their ballots won’t be counted accurately, while Democrats are generally more confident in the system.
To combat these doubts, election officials and political leaders have urged voters to trust the process. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seeking to make history as the first woman and first Indian-American president, rallied supporters in Michigan on Sunday, reminding them that Trump’s claims were intended to dissuade people from voting by casting doubt on the legitimacy of their participation.