Latest Trump vs Harris presidential race news and polls

The first polls have closed as Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump conclude their campaigns. Florida and Pennsylvania are in the next group of states at 8pm ET.

The economy and the state of US democracy are among the top issues cited by voters in NBC News’s exit poll, according to the preliminary results.

Thirty-five percent said democracy was their top issue while slightly fewer, 31 percent, said the economy. Abortion was the top issue for 14 percent of voters while 11 percent said immigration. Four percent said foreign policy was most important to them.

Meanwhile, Trump dismissed critics who expressed concerns that he would not concede an election loss as “crazy” as he cast his vote in Florida.

The former president told reporters as he voted with his wife Melania Trump: “If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I’d be the first one to acknowledge it.”

Trump later declared that his supporters are “not violent people.”

The first in-person votes were cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, at midnight on Monday – a tradition going back almost 65 years – with the town’s six registered voters split evenly between the two candidates.

Key Points

• When will exit polls be released?

• Trump vs Harris: Live election 2024 results map

• Final polls reveal state of the race for the White House

• What are Harris and Trump doing on Election Day?

• What is the Electoral College and why is 270 so important?

Why the threats to polling places in Georgia’s DeKalb County matter

00:54 , Eric Garcia

On Tuesday, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that two polling stations had to be evacuated. Last month, I visited DeKalb for a reporting trip to report on whether Black men are moving rightward (spoiler, it’s not entirely clear).

I chose to go to DeKalb because more than half of the population is African-American. When speaking to some of the residents, particularly the elderly ones, they talked with me about the importance of casting their ballot.

“My ancestors died so I could have an opportunity to vote,” Renita Woods told me last month outside the Hairston Crossing Library in Stone Mountain. Woods used a mobility aid to get into the library to cast her ballot.

Voting has a special salience in Georgia, the home of Martin Luther King Jr and the late John Lewis, who famously led the march in Selma Alabama to enact voting rights.

Independents swing towards Trump in Georgia

00:50 , Richard Hall

CNN reports a big shift among independents towards Trump in Georgia, according to its exit poll.

A stunning 20-point swing toward Trump compared to 2020 puts him 11 points up among independent voters, according to the poll.

To put that into context, Biden won independents by 9 points in 2020.

Broken tech, printer problems, staffing issues

00:47 , Oliver O’Connell

Election Day issues are a common problem at polling places, and election officials or the courts step in to make sure those ballots are counted.

But this year, a handful of polling locations in Georgia, including several sites in Atlanta, will stay open slightly longer this evening following noncredible bomb threats.

Tech issues at precincts in Pennsylvania’s Cambria County that caused voting software to malfunction have prompted courts to order locations there to stay open until 10 pm.

Preparation underway for Harris campaign event at Howard University in Washington, DC

00:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Republicans flip West Virginia Senate seat

00:43 , Oliver O’Connell

Republican Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia has won his US Senate race in West Virginia, flipping a seat after the retirement of Joe Manchin.

He was up against Glen Elliott of the Democratic Party and David Moran of the Libertarian Party.

Watch: Trump tells Republican voters to stay in line

00:42 , Oliver O’Connell

Could young voters help Harris over the line in Pennsylvania?

00:40 , Richard Hall

Long lines are being reported at universities in Philadelphia. Driving up numbers here could help Harris win this crucial swing state.

Lucas Eisen, a 25-year-old political science student at the University of Pennsylvania and political director of the University of Pennsylvania Democrats, told The Independent that enthusiasm was high.

“I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm on campus. I’m seeing ‘I voted’ stickers all over,” he said after voting for Harris at the Philadelphia campus.

“I think there have been consistent lines all day and we’re just really glad to see this kind of enthusiasm for politics and frankly for our future.”

Eisen said reproductive freedom was the most important issue for him when casting his ballots.

“From that issue flows so many issues that are deeply important to me. I’m an LGBTQ+ man and my right to marry, my right to have children, my right to sex, is all dependent on abortion rights being protected.

“And I think that the fight now is gonna be a fight that reverberates for decades to come.”

Kayla Mengden, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania, also said reproductive rights and the protection of the Affordable Care Act were the most important issues in guiding her vote for Harris.

“I think her plans are much more suited to normal people. As a nurse in the future, this election could very possibly very directly affect how I can treat my patients and how I can provide health care,” she added.

Harris campaign sees strong signs of enthusiasm among students

00:38 , Oliver O’Connell

The Harris campaign says there have been strong signs of enthusiasm among students with long lines at polling places in colleges across the key swing states.

Lines have been noted at Appalachian State polling place in Boone County, North Carolina; in Nevada at UNR and UNLV; in Pennsylvania at Lehigh, Lafayette, and Temple universities; and eight college campuses in Wisconsin have 1-2 hour lines.

The campaign is working to encourage voters to stay in line and has enlisted the help of some of its celebrity backers. Paul Rudd is visiting students in line in Pennsylvania. Others have FaceTimed in: Jennifer Garner at Villanova and Josh Gad at Lehigh in Pennsylvania; Mark Cuban in North Carolina at UNC-Charlotte; and Demi Lovato in Nevada at UNLV.

The campaign also believes turnout continues to look strong in Philadelphia, exceeding 2016 numbers and overperforming internal turnout expectations according to crowdsourced data. Three Philadelphia wards with high densities of Puerto Rican voters may have already exceeded the 2020 turnout.

7.30pm ET — Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia

00:30 , Joe Sommerlad

It is 7.30pm on the East Coast and polls are now closed in the following states:

• North Carolina

• Ohio

• West Virginia

US election results: Ask our Washington correspondent anything

00:25 , Lauren MacDougall

With a backdrop of such heightened political polarization, the outcome of this election will shape the next phase of American governance – and naturally, there are questions about what comes next.

If Harris wins, she faces the complex challenge of attempting to unite the country and addressing public concerns on the economy, abortion rights and immigration.

A Trump victory, on the other hand, raises questions about his agenda for a second term and whether he will continue with the divisive rhetoric that marked his campaign.

The Independent’s senior Washington correspondent Eric Garcia is on hand to explain what could happen next – and what the results of the election will mean for the country’s direction.

Ask your question here.

Election exit polls show economy, immigration and democracy among top issues for voters

00:20 , Ariana Baio

A majority of voters across the United States have a pessimistic outlook on the country with the state of democracy and economy among the top two concerns, preliminary exit polling data indicates.

Approximately three-quarters of voters surveyed feel negative about the direction the country is headed in – a figure consistent with polling data over the past few months. About 29 percent of those surveyed said they feel angry, according to NBC News exit polling data.

Overall, 35 percent of voters said democracy was the most important issue to them while 31 percent ranked the economy as number one. Fourteen percent said abortion while immigration was only ranked by 11 percent.

Election exit polls show economy, immigration and democracy among voters’ top issues

Results start rolling in

00:14 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Representatives Thomas Massie and Hall Rogers have won re-election in Kentucky, according to the AP.

Sen Bernie Sanders has won re-election in Vermont, while Republican Mike Braun has won the Indiana governor’s race.

Also in Indiana, Republican Jim Banks is set to be elected to the Senate.

In Florida, Rep Gus Bilirakis wins re-election, according to the news agency. Also in the Sunshine State, Democratic Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz has won re-election.

Paul Rudd praises young voters as he hands out water in Philadelphia

00:10 , Kevin E G Perry

Paul Rudd was full of praise for the students waiting in line to vote today at Philadelphia’s Temple University, saying: “It’s a wonderful thing that all these young people are out voting.”

The Ant-Man star, 55, visited the university campus to hand out bottles of water to voters, some of whom reportedly had to queue for hours in order to take part in today’s US presidential election.

Speaking to MSNBC, Rudd said: “I just wanted to give people water. They’re waiting in line for a long time, and it’s a wonderful thing that all these young people are out voting.”

Paul Rudd praises young voters as he hands out water in Philadelphia

Five more polling places in DeKalb County, Georgia face bomb threats

00:08 , Gustaf Kilander

Polls close in Georgia, some results expected by 8pm

00:07 , Alex Woodward

Polls are closed in Georgia, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger expects a bulk of results by 8 pm.

The state is currently too close to call.

Trump projected winner in Indiana and Kentucky while Harris takes Vermont

00:02 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump wins Kentucky and Indiana, according to the Associated Press.

Kamala Harris wins Vermont.

7pm ET — Polls close in first six states including battleground Georgia

00:00 , Joe Sommerlad

It is 7pm on the East Coast and polls are now closed in the following states:

• Georgia

• Indiana*

• Kentucky*

• South Carolina

• Vermont

• Virginia

*Indiana and Kentucky are in split time zones; the earliest results will be seen in the 6 pm ET hour.

Gamblers spend more than $3.3bn on Polymarket betting on 2024 presidential election, mostly for Trump

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:55 , Josh Marcus

Gamblers have spent more than $3.3bn on the betting site Polymarket guessing the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, with nearly two-thirds of them banking on a Trump win.

The money spent on Polymarket election bets now even eclipses the combined fundraising hauls of both presidential campaigns, who together have garnered over $2.5bn in donations.

As The Independent has reported, interest in election betting has surged this cycle, thanks to the rise of cryptocurrencies and a recent court ruling clearing the way for another betting market, Kalshi, to operate election contracts inside the U.S. for the time being, over the arguments of federal commodities regulators.

Gamblers spend more than $3.3bn on Polymarket betting on the election

Philadelphia DA responds to Trump ‘cheating’ claim: ‘No factual basis whatsoever’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner responded to Donald Trump’s claims of “cheating” on Tuesday night.

“The only talk about massive cheating has come from one of the candidates, Donald J. Trump,” he said in a statement. “There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation.”

He added: “We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day. If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath. “

Trump adviser urges followers to get men to the polls

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Walz believes Trump ‘probably will’ concede election if he loses

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:40 , Holly Patrick

Donald Trump “probably will” concede the presidential election, Tim Walz said as he spoke to reporters before boarding a plane from Pennsylvania to Washington DC on Tuesday, 5 November.

Kamala Harris’s running mate declared that he was “feeling good” about the polls and pledged to shake the hands of the winner if his campaign loses.

As he cast his vote, the former president — who has previously repeatedly and falsely claimed that the 2020 election was “stolen” — told reporters as he voted with his wife Melania Trump: “If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election I’d be the first one to acknowledge it.”

Bomb threats sent to mostly Black polling stations in Georgia

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:35 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump vs Harris: Live election 2024 results map

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:30 , Katie Hawkinson, Alicja Hagopian

This Election Day, voters across America are going to the polls to cast their vote for the 47th president of the United States.

As election workers count ballots and voting data is released, media outlets will begin to call states in favor of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump this evening. While outlets will likely call the final result in the days or week(s) after November 5, their determination is only ever a projection. The election will be officially certified on January 6 by Congress.

NBC News, among other outlets, released the results of their exit polls on Tuesday afternoon. Voters ranked the state of democracy as their number one issue, while the economy came second.

Trump vs Harris: Live election 2024 results map

Trading in Trump’s media stock repeatedly halted on election day after sudden loss

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:30 , Kelly Rissman

The parent company of Donald Trump’s Truth Social halted trading multiple times on Election Day.

Stock for Trump Media & Technology Group Corp — which trades under DJT — was halted for volatility on Tuesday as the former president vies to defeat Vice President Kamala Harrisat the polls.

Trump owns nearly 57 per cent of all shares in the company.

Trading was paused for a few minutes at 2.48pm, then again at 2.55pm, and once more at 3.02pm, the New York Stock Exchange shows.

Shares were trading at about $37 early on Tuesday morning when they started fluctuating throughout the day. After shares hit a high of $40 midday, they quickly plunged to $32 later in the day. It ended Tuesday down more than 1 per cent at $33.94.

Trading in Trump’s media stock repeatedly halted on election day after sudden loss

Philadelphia City Commissioner responds to Trump claims of ‘cheating’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:25 , Gustaf Kilander

In a purple county in Pennsylvania, residents say ‘it’s been insane’ as they go out to vote

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:20 , Richard Hall

A purple county in the middle of a swing state may be a dream for presidential candidates, but the reality of being a campaign’s most desired item — a possibly undecided voter! — is a nightmare for the residents of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Voters here are hammered by political ads from all sides, and many are happy it will finally come to an end on Tuesday.

“It’s been insane,” says Wendy Hanley, a 49-year-old resident of Bensalem, as she leaves a polling place at a high school in the town. “That’s all we get in the mail. Phone calls, texts, TV.”

“People are coming to our door constantly,” she adds.

In a purple county in Pennsylvania on Election Day, voters say ‘it’s been insane’

Live: 2024 US election results map as Trump and Harris go head-to-head for presidency

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:15 , Holly Patrick

Watch live as a US presidential election map animates states turning red or blue as each is called for either the Democrats or Republicans on Tuesday, 5 November.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris made their final pitches to voters on Monday before voters went to the polls.

As election workers count the ballots and voting data is released, media outlets will begin to call states in favor of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump this evening. While outlets will likely call the final result in the days or week(s) after 5 November, their determination is only ever a projection. The election will be officially certified on 6 January by Congress.

The economy and the state of US democracy are among the top issues cited by voters in NBC News’s exit poll, according to the preliminary results.

The Republican chose to close out his final rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with personal attacks on Harris, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and their fellow California Democrat Adam Schiff.

The Democrat was joined in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by celebrities Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and The Roots while Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera supported her in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas.

At midnight, the first in-person votes were cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire – a tradition going back almost 65 years.

In Florida, Trumpworld figures project confidence in public — and worry in private

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:10 , Andrew Feinberg

Allies and friends of former president Donald Trump are publicly projecting confidence, despite signs that his campaign hasn’t brought out enough voters to give him the edge over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump aides began trickling in to the West Palm Beach, Florida hotel next to the convention center where the campaign’s watch party is to take place, starting around early afternoon.

One of Trump’s closest and longest-serving confidantes, social media guru and senior adviser Dan Scavino, told The Independent that things were “looking good” when asked for his read on what verdict voters would render once the votes are all counted.

In Florida, Trumpworld figures are confident in public — and worried in private

Man ‘smelling of fuel’ and carrying flare gun arrested at US Capitol on Election Day

Tuesday 5 November 2024 23:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Police have arrested a man who smelled of fuel and was carrying a flare gun into the US Capitol on Election Day.

The 28-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon as he entered the building through the Capitol Visitor Center. He had a torch, flare gun and lighter in his jacket as he tried to enter.

“Our officers just arrested a man who was stopped during our screening process at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC),” the US Capitol Police wrote in a statement. “The man smelled like fuel, had a torch & a flare gun.”

Man ‘smelling of fuel’ and carrying flare gun arrested at US Capitol on Election Day

Harris campaign seeing enthusiasm among students and Puerto Rican voters in Pennsylvania

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:50 , Gustaf Kilander

The Harris campaign is optimistic about the high turnout among Puerto Rican voters in Philadelphia.

They’re also seeing plenty of enthusiasm among college students, citing lines at one Pennsylvania university being up to seven hours long.

In North Carolina, rural Republican turnout is lower, according to a small sample of a few counties. Meanwhile, turnout is looking high in the city of Durham.

Three-quarters of voters have negative view of state of nation

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:45 , Gustaf Kilander

About three-quarters of voters have a negative view of how things are progressing in the country, according to the CNN exit poll.

About one-quarter say they are enthusiastic or satisfied with the current situation in the US. More than four out of 10 say they’re dissatisfied while about three in 10 say they’re angry.

But at the same time, more than six out of 10 voters said America’s best days lay ahead, with about a third saying they’re in the past.

A majority disapprove of President Joe Biden’s job performance, with about four in 10 saying they approve.

Trump rants about Oprah and Fox News as he casts his vote in Palm Beach: ‘She should be ashamed’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:40 , Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump is furious at Fox News for playing a clip of Oprah Winfrey speaking at a rally for Kamala Harris where she warned the former president might end democratic elections in the US.

Speaking as he cast his own vote on Tuesday, the Republican said Winfrey should be “ashamed” of herself for the comments.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” he told reporters. “Oprah, I was on one of her last show or one of her last shows and they pick the biggest people and all of that and made a big deal and actually, I’m disappointed. I think Oprah has become a major divider in our country and I think frankly she should be ashamed of herself.”

Trump rants about Oprah and Fox News: ‘She should be ashamed’

WATCH: Kamala Harris surprises voters with Election Day calls at phone bank

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:30 , Holly Patrick

Kamala Harris made surprise calls to voters on Election Day as she joined a phone-banking session in Washington DC on Tuesday, 5 November.

The vice president appeared at the Democrat party’s DC headquarters to drum up support, joining volunteers to call people across the country to encourage them to vote or ask if they have done so already.

Ms Harris and her opponent, Republican former president Donald Trump, made their final pitches to voters on Monday – the last full day of campaigning.

The first in-person votes were cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, at midnight – a tradition going back almost 65 years – with the town’s six registered voters split evenly between the two candidates.

Philadelphia Police reject Trump claims about ‘cheating’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:24 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump says RFK Jr is ‘gonna do pretty much what he wants’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:20 , Gustaf Kilander

Democracy and economy cited as top issues by voters in NBC exit poll

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:11 , Gustaf Kilander

The economy and the state of US democracy are among the top issues cited by voters in NBC News’s exit poll, according to the preliminary results.

Thirty-five percent said democracy was their top issue while slightly fewer, 31 percent, said the economy. Abortion was the top issue for 14 percent of voters while 11 percent said immigration. Four percent said foreign policy was most important to them.

Both men and women said the state of democracy was their most important issue, with the economy coming in second.

Among men, 12 percent said immigration was their top issue, while 10 percent of women said the same.

Georgia polling stations hit by bomb threats ‘of Russian origin’ on election day

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:10 , Katie Hawkinson

Georgia’s Secretary of State said polling centers were sent bomb threats of “Russian origin” on Election Day.

Two polling stations had been evacuated in Union City and Fulton County due to the threats on Tuesday. Secretary Brad Raffensperger said officials were investigating but they do not believe they were viable.

“We’ve heard some threats that were of Russian origin,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday morning. “I don’t know how to describe that that’s viable, we don’t think they are, but in the interest of public safety, you always check that out.

“We’ll just continue to be very responsible when we hear about stuff like that. We’ve identified the source and it was from Russia.”

Georgia polling stations hit by bomb threats ‘of Russian origin’ on Election Day

How to understand exit polls on Election Night

Tuesday 5 November 2024 22:00 , Katie Hawkinson

This Election Day, voters will be monitoring their TVs, laptops and phones as results of this year’s presidential and congressional elections pour in.

With just days left until November 5, the latest polls show Kamala Harris and Donald Trump neck-and-neck in their race for the White House. Meanwhile, Democrats are working to gain control of the House of Representatives as Republicans vie for a majority in the Senate.

Exit polls are a key indication of the potential results, as pollsters survey voters after they cast their ballots to determine who they backed and how they feel about certain issues.

Here’s everything you need to know about who conducts them and how to understand them.

How to understand exit polls on Election Night

Dr Phil walks back presidential endorsement one week after speaking at Trump rally

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:50 , Inga Parkel

Dr Phil McGraw has revealed that his appearance at Donald Trump’s controversy-laden New York City rally in late October came as “an act of rebellion” against Kamala Harris.

While speaking on a recent episode of Piers Morgan’s Uncensored talk show, the popular TV personality and former psychologist, 74, walked back on his apparent endorsement of Trump.

“I’m just not here to endorse Donald Trump. I do not like celebrity endorsements,” McGraw said in a teaser clip posted to X.

Dr Phil walks back presidential endorsement one week after speaking at Trump rally

Voting organization points to large turnout among student voters

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:40 , Ariana Baio

Voters of Tomorrow, a political organization aimed at encouraging young people to vote, said there is a massive turnout among student voters in the battleground states.

“Students are forming long lines to vote in battleground states and districts, including at Florida State University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Lehigh University, Arizona State University, Villanova University, Lafayette College, Cornell University, and Temple University,” the group said. “Student newspapers report that some of these lines are hours long and began as soon as polls opened.”

Bill Gates’ youngest daughter Phoebe endorses Kamala Harris in plea to Gen Z voters

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:30 , Brittany Miller

Bill Gates’s daughter Phoebe Gates, 22, has publicly revealed who she’ll be voting for in the 2024 US presidential election on Tuesday, November 5.

The Microsoft co-founder’s youngest child recently wrote an essay for Nylon, explaining that her vote centered around the Supreme Court case Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which ended federal protections of abortion rights and overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade decision in June 2022.

“I’ve been passionate about sexual and reproductive health issues since my early teenage years, inspired by my mother’s focus on gender issues around the world,” the recent Stanford University graduate’s essay began.

Bill Gates’ youngest daughter Phoebe endorses Kamala Harris in plea to Gen Z voters

How Biden would have fared against Trump if he had never dropped out

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:20 , Ariana Baio

Politics is full of ‘what ifs’ – and one of the biggest in 2024 is what would have happened if Joe Biden had stayed in the presidential race.

A new YouGov poll looks at exactly that, surveying Americans on how they would have voted if the veteran Democrat had stayed the course. Although we still don’t know the final outcome of the presidential race, the speculative poll suggests replacing Biden with Kamala Harris was the right move for the Dems.

According to the 1,103 citizens YouGov surveyed between November 1-3, Trump would have been seven points ahead of his former rival in a race with Biden.

How Biden would have fared against Trump if he had never dropped out

Trump urges supporters to ‘stay on line’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:10 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Indiana House candidate arrested on eve of election

Tuesday 5 November 2024 21:00 , Joe Sommerlad

A Republican candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives was arrested on the eve of the election on Monday after being accused of violating a protection order.

Jim Schenke, 57, a delegate for the state’s 26th House district, was booked into Tippecanoe County Jail after police received a complaint late that he had allegedly contacted an individual on Facebook who has a protection order against him, according to The Lafayette Journal and Courier.

Tippecanoe County Chief Deputy Terry Ruley said officers received the complaint at 8.35pm on Sunday and, after investigating, concluded there was probable cause to make an arrest.

Republican Indiana House candidate arrested on eve of election

FBI warns of fake video urging people to vote ‘remotely’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:50 , Ariana Baio

There is a fake video going around from bad actors pretending to be the FBI telling voters to vote “remotely” via some sort of link or QR code.

The videos make false claims of terrorist and safety threats that would require people to lock down.

The real FBI is now warning people to ignore this.

Of course, voting remotely is not a thing the U.S. does.

Donald Trump claims critics who say he won’t concede election are ‘crazy’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:40 , Holly Patrick

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump dismissed critics who expressed concerns that he would not concede an election loss as “crazy” as he cast his vote in Florida on Tuesday, 5 November.

The former president, who has previously repeatedly and falsely claimed that the 2020 election was “stolen,” told reporters as he voted with his wife Melania Trump: “If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election I’d be the first one to acknowledge it.”

Mr Trump later declared that his supporters are “not violent people.”

The most expensive non-presidential race in history: Ohio

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:30 , Eric Garcia

We now have a new most expensive non-presidential race in history. Ohio’s Senate race between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown versus car dealer Bernie Moreno is now officially the most expensive race, clocking in at $476.8 million, according to AdImpact.

That surpasses the previous record of $407.4 million spent in the 2020 Georgia Senate race between Jon Ossoff and David Perdue.

Brown is one of two Democrats running for re-election in a state Donald Trump won twice. Trump endorsed Moreno during the Senate primary.

According to Federal Election Commission reports, the Mitch McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund spent $55 million in the Ohio Senate race alone.

But that’s not the only race flooded with money. Pennsylvania’s Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and hedge fund executive Dave McCormick is the fourth most expensive.

Democratic Senator Jon Tester and Republican Tim Sheehy’s race in Montana is the seventh most expensive at $237 million.

The race for Michigan’s open Senate seat has cost $196 million, Ted Cruz’s run for re-election cost $193.4 million and Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin’s race against Eric Hovde in Wisconsin cost $171.4 million.

Ring of steel at the White House and businesses boarded up as DC braces for political violence

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:20 , Ariana Baio

Security fencing has been put up outside the White House and businesses nearby are boarding up amid fears of political violence in the wake of the 2024 presidential election.

Business owners, residents and federal workers in Washington D.C. have taken steps to protect themselves and their properties as Americans go to the polls on Tuesday.

In downtown DC, local businesses boarded up their storefronts in preparation for any protests that may emerge. Large metal fences were erected around government buildings including the Treasury Department and near Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence.

White House behind ring of steel and businesses boarded up as DC braces for violence

Rudy Giuliani rolls up to Florida polling place in Mercedes he must surrender to defamed election workers

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:10 , Alex Woodward

Rudy Giuliani pulled up to the Florida polling station where Donald Trump cast his ballot on Election Day in the Mercedes-Benz he has been ordered to turn over to a pair of election workers he defamed.

The cash-strapped former New York City mayor — who told a bankruptcy court earlier this year that he does not have a driver’s license — sat in the passenger seat of the 1980 SL500 once owned by Lauren Bacall as reporters and cameras swarmed around him on Tuesday.

Hours earlier, a federal judge in New York ordered Trump’s now-disbarred former attorney to appear in person for a hearing on Thursday, after the election workers who have been trying to collect on a $150 million defamation verdict accused him of hiding his property from them.

Rudy Giuliani rolls up to Florida polling place in Mercedes he must surrender

What to expect on election night: Polls closing, exit polls and results

Tuesday 5 November 2024 20:00 , James Liddell

Two failed assassination attempts, the incumbent’s presidential campaign falling apart, and several major party defections later, the drama of the 2024 election is about to reach a crescendo.

On Tuesday, millions of voters are flocking to polling locations across the country to cast their votes in what is believed to be one of the most hotly-contested presidential elections in history, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump effectively deadlocked in the national polls.

An estimated 82 million Americans – more than half of the 2020 electorate – have already voted early, according to the Associated Press.

Here’s what you need to know about timings on election night (and beyond):

What to expect on election night: Polls closing, exit polls and results

JD Vance: ‘We could still win or lose this thing’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Philadelphia DA unveils ‘FAFO’ t-shirt after going viral

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:40 , Gustaf Kilander

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner went viral a day before the election after he told those thinking about interfering in the election “F around and find out.”

On Tuesday, Krasner showed off a t-shirt printed with the acronym “FAFO.”

“Now, I found myself, to everyone’s surprise, getting a lot of attention yesterday over something I said, and I came in this morning only to find that these hard-working members of the Election Protection Task Force had gone out and printed up the T-shirt just so people will understand how serious we are, that we are not going to tolerate interference with a free, fair and final election here,” the Democrat said on Election Day morning.

US Capitol Police detains man smelling ‘like fuel’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

A man who “smelled like fuel” has been arrested by US Capitol Police after attempting to enter the Congressional complex.

“Our officers just arrested a man who was stopped during our screening process at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC),” the agency wrote on X on Tuesday afternoon. “The man smelled like fuel, had a torch and a flare gun. The CVC is closed for tours for the day, while we investigate. We will provide more information when we can.”

Top polling guru reveals final 2024 election prediction model – and it couldn’t be any closer

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:20 , Rhian Lubin

Polling guru Nate Silver has revealed his final prediction model for the 2024 presidential election – and has concluded the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is “literally closer than a coin flip.”

In Silver’s model, Harris won the Electoral College in 50.015 percent of the 80,000 simulations, giving her a razor-thin lead.

“The race is literally closer than a coin flip: empirically, heads wins 50.5 percent of the time, more than Harris’s 50.015 percent,” Silver wrote on his Substack page on Tuesday morning.

“When I say the odds in this year’s presidential race are about as close as you can possibly get to 50/50, I’m not exaggerating,” he said.

Top polling guru reveals final election prediction model – it couldn’t be any closer

Speaker Mike Johnson impersonates Trump during Election Day Fox News appearance

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:10 , Gustaf Kilander

We’ve traveled across the country. These are the places to watch on Election Night

Tuesday 5 November 2024 19:00 , Eric Garcia

Well, here it is: Election Night 2024. Millions of Americans have already cast their ballots, and it might take a few days to learn who the next president will be. But tonight, the polls will close on one of the most unpredictable elections in recent history. An election that was posed to be a rematch between two elderly men who had faced off in 2020 turned into one defined by assassination attempts and a surprise change at the top of the Democratic ticket.

As always, it’s impossible to decode what precisely will happen and who will win by how much. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. But there are always indicators.

A few weeks ago, Inside Washington broke down House races to watch that might show who wins the whole thing. In the same vein, because of the electoral college, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump need to focus on specific counties in each of the seven swing states.

Without further ado, here are the seven most important counties to watch on Election Night if you want an early sense of who’s going to win overall.

On Election Night, watch these seven counties. They’ll tell you who is likely to win

Tucker Carlson claims nuclear technology was created by ‘demonic forces’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:50 , Rhian Lubin

Tucker Carlson has claimed that nuclear technology was not created by humans – but by “demonic forces.”

The former Fox News host and Donald Trump ally made the bizarre claim on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, released on Election Day eve, where the two conservative figures got into a discussion about where nuclear technology originated.

“Nuclear weapons are demonic, there’s no upside to them at all, and anyone who claims otherwise is either ignorant or doing the bidding of the forces that created nuclear technology in the first place, which were not human forces obviously,” Carlson told Bannon.

Tucker Carlson claims nuclear technology was created by ‘demonic forces’

Donald Trump Jr reveals bizarre new conspiracy theory about why Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:40 , Katie Hawkinson

Donald Trump Jr has peddled an unfounded conspiracy theory suggesting that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested so celebrities who were affiliated with him would endorse his father’s opponent, Kamala Harris.

Combs was arrested in September on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Federal prosecutors allege that Combs and his associates threatened, abused and coerced women and others around him “to fulfill his sexual desires” – which allegedly included forcing victims into engaging in recorded sexual activity which he referred to as “Freak Offs.”

One lawsuit also alleges that Combs regularly hosted “sex-trafficking parties” with underage women and illegal drugs, and implies record label executives who looked the other way financially benefited from access to celebrities and dignitaries, including the British royal Prince Harry.

Donald Trump Jr reveals bizarre new conspiracy theory on why Diddy was arrested

The first Election Day result was in a small New Hampshire town with just six voters. Here’s how it went

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:30 , Graig Graziosi

The US 2024 election results are in for one tiny New Hampshire town – and it’s a tie.

The six residents of Dixville Notch, near the Canadian border, waited for just 12 minutes to learn the results of their midnight vote.

Much like the rest of the country, the result was deadlocked; three votes for Donald Trump and three for Kamala Harris.

First Election Day result was in small town with just six voters. Here’s how it went

Immigration, abortion, taxes and democracy: What is Donald Trump proposing in 2024?

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:20 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump is hoping to expand his “America First” agenda as he makes his third run for president, this time against Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

When he was defeated in the 2020 presidential election, the US was in the midst of a deadly pandemic, and he left the White House on the heels of a violent attack on the Capitol fueled by a false narrative of his loss.

Trump has campaigned on a theme of “retribution” to return to an office he wrongly believes was “stolen” from him, and he has broadly embraced reshaping or eliminating federal regulations and agencies while opening the door to staffing the government with a politized federal workforce to do what he could not in his first administration.

The former president has distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agenda for the next Republican administration, though the policies he has publicly supported largely mirror the expansive document.

Here are some of those proposals, based on his public statements and limited policy documents.

Immigration, abortion, taxes and democracy: What is Donald Trump proposing in 2024?

2024 election results map: When will we know who won the presidency?

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:10 , Katie Hawkinson

This Election Day, voters across America are going to the polls to cast their vote for the 47th president of the United States.

As election workers count the ballots and voting data is released, media outlets will begin to call states in favor of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump this evening. While outlets will likely call the final result in the days or week(s) after November 5, their determination is only ever a projection. The election will be officially certified on January 6 by Congress.

Check back this evening for live election updates from The Independent as exit poll data is released and the final ballots are cast.

2024 election results map: When will we know who won the presidency?

Undecided: Here are the final pitches of Harris and Trump

Tuesday 5 November 2024 18:00 , The Independent

Harris campaign gets out the vote in Pennsylvania

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:50 , Gustaf Kilander

The Harris campaign in Pennsylvania knocked on 100,000 doors before 11am on Election Day, according to CBS.

Farage claims ‘a lot more Trump signs on lawns’ as he visits US for election

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:40 , Holly Patrick

Nigel Farage said he had observed an increase in Donald Trump signs on voters’ lawns as he visited the US for its presidential election on Tuesday, 5 November.

The Reform UK MP for Clacton predicted a victory for the former president, whom he calls his friend, in the election as he told GB News he had been in Pennsylvania since before the polls opened.

“We’re in a very middle-class area here and there are a lot more Trump signs on lawns than there were four years ago or eight years ago. He’s not quite the bogeyman that he was,” Mr Farage went on, adding that he planned to attend Trump’s election party at Mar-a-Lago.

‘Stop talking about that’: Trump asked about abortion amendment

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:30 , Alex Woodward

When Trump was asked on Tuesday how he voted on Amendment 4, which would enshrine a right to abortion access in Florida’s constitution, and effectively overturn the state’s bans, he said: “Stop talking about that.”

Here’s some background on the amendment and how Ron DeSantis’s administration is trying to defeat it:

Door-knocking and restraining orders: Inside Ron DeSantis’s war on abortion rights

Georgia polling sites evacuated after ‘non-credible’ bomb threats

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:20 , Ariana Baio

Election officials in Fulton County, Georgia were forced to evacuate five polling sites this morning due to “non-credible” bomb threats.

This is Georgia’s most populous county and it was subject to threats in 2020 as well.

The county is now asking a court if they can extend polling hours past 7 p.m. to make up for the fact that there was a delay.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger believes it came from a foreign adversary potentially of “Russian origin.”

Maryland GOP Senate candidate declines to vote for president

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:10 , John Bowden

Maryland GOP senate candidate Larry Hogan has said that he left the spot for president blank on his ballot.

He said months ago he wasn’t supporting Trump but now it’s official.

“I’ve said all along that I would never vote for somebody I don’t believe in, and I think a lot of people respect that decision,” said Hogan to reporters outside Davidsonvillle Elementary, according to The Baltimore Banner.

Trump says he’ll be ‘first one to acknowledge’ a loss

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:01 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump said that those concerned that he may not concede the election if he loses are “crazy.”

“I think they’re crazy. If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I’m gonna I’d be the first one to acknowledge it,” the former president told reporters in Florida on Tuesday. “So far, I think it’s been fair. I think there’s been a lot of court cases. Both sides are lawyered up.”

Trump vs Harris: Join the Independent Debate and tell us your US election predictions

Tuesday 5 November 2024 17:00 , Lauren MacDougall

Ahead of the polls closing, we’re asking you: Who do you think will win the election?

Can Kamala Harris break barriers as the first female president of the United States? Or will we see the unprecedented return of Donald Trump to the White House, even after his conviction for falsifying business records?

Where do you think the election will be won and lost? Do you think Harris will gain a decisive edge in swing states, or will Trump capitalise on his base’s turnout

Share your predictions here — we will highlight the most thoughtful insights.

Trump: ‘My supporters are not violent people’

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:56 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump spoke to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida as he cast his ballot, saying that he doesn’t believe his supporters are “violent people.”

“I don’t have to tell them that there’ll be no violence. Of course, there’ll be no violence,” Trump said. “My supporters are not violent people. I don’t have to tell them that, and I certainly don’t want any violence … these are great people. These are people that believe in no violence.”

“Unlike your question, you believe in violence,” Trump told one of the reporters.

Why the election might come down to a Trump campaign meltdown in Pennsylvania — again

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:50 , Richard Hall and Alex Woodward

The chaotic final moments of the 2020 presidential election are etched into the memories of every American — especially if they come from Pennsylvania.

After days of counting ballots, lawsuits and protests in the crucial and deciding state, the Trump presidency came to an end in the parking lot of a landscaping company in an industrial suburb of Philadelphia, next to an adult book store, to the desperate cries of Rudy Giuliani.

This year’s race is set to be another nail-biter, and Pennsylvania is the most likely state to decide the result again. So should we expect to see a repeat of that debacle?

The short answer is: Maybe.

Why the election might come down to a Trump campaign meltdown in Pennsylvania — again

Watch live: Donald Trump and Melania Trump cast votes in 2024 presidential election

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:49 , Holly Patrick

Watch live as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife Melania are expected to cast their vote in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, 5 November.

The former US president was pictured wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat as he entered the polling station.

American voters are heading to the polls on Election Day after Kamala Harris and Mr Trump made their final pitches on Monday, the last full day of campaigning.

The Republican former president chose to close out his final rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with personal attacks on Harris, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and their fellow California Democrat Adam Schiff, as well as his own former White House chief of staff General John Kelly, who recently labelled him a “fascist”.

Trump, who received a last-minute endorsement from influential podcaster Joe Rogan, was late on stage and only finished speaking at 2.09am, looking exhausted.

The Democrat was joined in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and The Roots while Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera supported her in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, respectively.

In photos: JD Vance votes in Cincinnati, Ohio

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:40 , Gustaf Kilander

VOICES: If the world’s biggest chancer – Nigel Farage – is warning Trump to go gracefully, we know he’s in trouble

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:30 , Sean O’Grady

I’m not completely convinced when I hear Nigel Farage say that Americans shouldn’t believe the polls and that he is “absolutely certain that Trump is going to win”. You shouldn’t be, either.

After all, four years ago, Farage publicly laid $10,000 on Trump beating Biden – and in the end (as Trump might put it) it wasn’t even close. Some 7 million votes decided that one.

Maybe something similar will happen this year… perhaps Farage, too, can feel things slipping away from Trump. How else to explain the world’s biggest chancer warning the man he so desperately admires that if “the result is clear and decisive” in Kamala Harris’ favour, he should “go and play golf at Turnberry”?

Nigel Farage says Trump should accept defeat if Harris wins…

Harris calls into Atlanta radio show on Election Day

Tuesday 5 November 2024 16:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Vice President Kamala Harris called into an Atlanta radio station on Tuesday to urge Georgia voters to get out and vote.

“We’ve got to get it done. Today is voting day and people need to get out and be active,” she told listeners of V-103’s The Big Tigger Morning Show.

“I’ve just been so focused on the task in front of me, the reflection has only been about making sure that I’m responding to the needs of folks around the policies,” she added, according to CNN.

Harris said her Election Day focus will be “making sure everybody knows the power of their voice through their vote.”

When will exit polls be released?

Tuesday 5 November 2024 15:58 , Katie Hawkinson

This Election Day, voters will be monitoring their TVs, laptops and phones as results of this year’s presidential and congressional elections pour in.

With just days left until November 5, the latest polls show Kamala Harris and Donald Trump neck-and-neck in their race for the White House. Meanwhile, Democrats are working to gain control of the House of Representatives as Republicans vie for a majority in the Senate.

Exit polls are a key indication of the potential results, as pollsters survey voters after they cast their ballots to determine who they backed and how they feel about certain issues.

Four major national news organizations — NBC News, ABC News, CBS News and CNN — participate in the National Election Pool.

They abide by a 5pm ET embargo, meaning the results won’t start to be released until then. Members of the National Election pool don’t report exit poll results that are indicative of a state’s winner until all polling centers have closed in that state.

How to understand exit polls on Election Night

JD Vance ‘lost friends’ due to support and association with Donald Trump

Tuesday 5 November 2024 15:45 , Holly Patrick

JD Vance says he has lost friends over his support for Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

After casting his vote in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Tuesday (5 November) the former president’s 2024 running mate said some had “cast their friendship aside” which he saw as a “tragedy.”

Urging the public to “be kind,” Mr Vance declared he would not follow his friends’ example.

“Whether you’re voting for Donald Trump or voting for Kamala Harris, friends and family, that stuff is what really, really matters,” he added.

“We ought to treat each other with respect and fundamentally what we’re trying to do.”

Elon Musk and Joe Rogan tear into ‘psyop’ policy. It was actually rolled out by Trump

Tuesday 5 November 2024 15:30 , Rhian Lubin

Elon Musk and Joe Rogan branded Operation Warp Speed a “crazy psyop” in an Election Day eve rant.

But, it turns out that the flagship Covid vaccine policy was actually rolled out by Donald Trump.

Rogan, who endorsed the Republican for president that day, hosted Trump ally Musk on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience on Election Day eve, with the pair speaking for almost three hours.

Musk and Joe Rogan tear into ‘psyop’ policy. It was actually rolled out by Trump

Philadelphia district attorney issues tough message on election interference

Tuesday 5 November 2024 15:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Take a bow Larry Krasner, who said this yesterday:

“I want people to be reassured that, when they get up tomorrow to go vote – if they have not voted already – that everybody in this city is working and has been working for months to make sure that there will be nothing tough about that experience and nothing to fear in that experience.

“But I also want to be clear. Anybody who thinks it’s time to play militia: Eff around and find out.

“Anybody who thinks it’s time to insult, to deride, to mistreat, to threaten people: Eff around and find out. We do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells, we do have the Philly juries and we have the state prisons.”