Election 2024 replay: Donald Trump wins presidential election, defeating Kamala Harris
Editor's note: This page reflects the news on the campaign trail for the 2024 election Tuesday, Nov. 5. For the latest news and results from the presidential election, read USA TODAY's live updates on former President Donald Trump's victory.
Former President Donald Trump won a second term in office on Tuesday, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race for the White House.
It was a decisive win after polls showed Trump and Harris competing in a razor-close election. But enough Americans in pivotal states were won over by Trump's focus on inflation and immigration to propel him back to the White House. Trump's victory also comes after he faced two shocking assassination attempts over the summer.
Early in election night, the nominees picked up their respective strongholds, with Harris winning much of the West Coast and Northeast and Trump clinching victories in the South. But Trump picked up North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, giving him enough momentum as they fought over swing states.
It was also a good night for other Republicans. GOP candidates picked up several pivotal Senate seats across the country, including in West Virginia and Ohio, reclaiming the upper chamber.
Catch up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage of the presidential election and downballot fights.
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Donald Trump wins Wisconsin, pushing him over 270 threshold
Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in Wisconsin flipping a key Midwestern “blue wall” state back to red after President Joe Biden picked it up in 2020. Trump is awarded 10 electoral votes, and the state pushes him over the 270 threshold needed to win a presidential election.
Trump won the state in 2016, a stunning upset after he became the first Republican to win the state since 1984.
The state has leaned further to the right in recent years, despite Biden winning the state in the last election. Harris for months has tried to appeal to Republican voters in Wisconsin, while Trump also tried to cut into Harris’ support among Black and Latino voters in the state.
– Marina Pitofsky
Trump: 'God spared my life for a reason'
Trump's victory speech lasted about 25 minutes, praising his aides and supporters, and marveling at a wild campaign that included two assassination attempts.
"Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason," Trump said at one point. "And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness. And now we are going to fulfill that mission together."
Trump gave shout-outs to campaign aides and his some of his most prominent supporters, including billionaire businessman Elon Musk, Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who previously ran as an independent presidential candidate but dropped out and backed Trump.
Often echoing parts of his campaign stump speech, Trump said his campaign put together diverse coalitions with similar views on immigration and the economy, forming what he called "a common core of common sense."
"This campaign has been so historic in so many ways," Trump said.
– David Jackson
Harris wins Minnesota
Democrat Kamala Harris has won the state of Minnesota. She is awarded 10 electoral votes.
Tim Walz, Harris’ vice presidential running mate, serves as governor of the state. The North Star State has been a reliable Democratic stronghold. However in 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton barely eked out a win in the state over Republican Donald Trump by 1.5 percentage points.
– Rebecca Morin
Trump on Vance: 'I took a little heat at the beginning'
Donald Trump praised his vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
"I took a little heat at the beginning but I knew the brain was a good one," he joked about the senator, who stirred controversy early in the campaign by calling Democratic women "childless cat ladies."
Political analysts raised concerns that Trump has made a mistake in picking the young up-and-coming Republican.
– Riley Beggin
Trump: 'We made history'
Trump sounded as surprised as anybody in declaring victory, citing the many obstacles he faced during a volatile campaign.
"Look what happened – is this crazy?" Trump told a screaming crowd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, also telling supporters that his campaign "made history."
Echoing comments he made on the campaign trail, Trump credited his political movement for winning a second term in office. Trump also praised Vice President-elect JD Vance and members of the Trump family, including first-lady-to-be (once again) Melania Trump.
Addressing the crowd, Vance said Trump pulled off "the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America."
With some states still out, the president-elect predicted he would wind up with at least 315 electoral votes. He also noted that Republicans would win the U.S. Senate and likely the House.
Trump also pledged to "help our country heal" after a divisive election.
– David Jackson
Trump praises Senate wins, Speaker Mike Johnson
Donald Trump praised Senate Republicans for retaking the upper chamber Tuesday night, and expressed his support for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who plans to run to retain his leadership role during an internal election next week.
Johnson is expected to face leadership challenges if Republicans lose the House, and it is unclear if challengers will emerge if Republicans keep the House. But Trump has been supportive of the speaker in public.
"I think he's done a terrific job," Trump said of Johnson early Wednesday morning.
– Riley Beggin
Trump wins Pennsylvania, flipping must-win swing state
Donald Trump has won the coveted state of Pennsylvania – flipping a state seen as a must win in the 2024 election cycle.
Trump is awarded 19 electoral votes. Trump eked out a win in the state in 2016 by less than a percentage point. But he lost the state to President Joe Biden in 2020.
Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris were locked in a close race in the critical battleground state. Pennsylvania was one of three critical “blue wall” states – which includes Michigan and Wisconsin – that helped catapult both Trump to the White House in 2016 and Biden to the White House in 2020.
Trump campaigned heavily in the state, zeroing in on the Western part of the state while also appealing to voters in the Philadelphia suburbs.
– Rebecca Morin
Trump notches critical Maine district
Donald Trump has won Maine’s 2nd congressional district. He is awarded one electoral vote.
Maine’s results are different than other states because it awards its electoral votes via statewide tally, in addition to congressional districts. Trump in both 2016 and 2020 won the state’s 2nd congressional district, which is largely more conservative and rural than other parts of the state.
– Rebecca Morin
Trump to address supporters
Trump is expected to address supporters soon at the Palm Beach Convention Center.
No one knows if he will explicitly declare victory – he still doesn't have the required 270 votes to earn another term in the White House – but he will at least come close.
– David Jackson
Harris picks up New Hampshire
Democrat Kamala Harris has won the state of New Hampshire. She will be awarded 4 electoral votes.
The state has voted for Democrats in the presidential race since 1992, with the exception of former President George W. Bush in 2000. New Hampshire keeps a lower profile in general elections, but during primary seasons it often plays a key role in determining the presidential nominee for both parties.
– Rebecca Morin
Harris won’t speak at watch party
Kamala Harris will not address supporters gathered at Howard University in Washington for her election night party and plans to instead speak later Wednesday morning.
Cedric Richmond, co-chair of the Harris campaign, delivered that news around 12:45 am ET at the watch party as Harris’ prospects to defeat Trump appeared grimmer.
“We still have votes to count,” Richmond said. “We still have states that have not been called yet. We will continue overnight to fight to make sure every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken. You won’t hear from the vice president tonight but you will hear from here tomorrow.”
– Joey Garrison
Trump has won Georgia
Donald Trump has won the state of Georgia flipping it back for Republicans after it went blue in 2020.
Trump is awarded 16 electoral votes. He carried Georgia in 2016, when the Peach State had backed Republicans since 1996. However, President Joe Biden during the 2020 election narrowly won the state by a margin of roughly 12,000 votes.
It wasn't immediately clear which slice of Georgia's voters helped propel the former president to victory over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Trump in recent months has focused on rural voters in the state in hopes of offsetting Democrats’ gains in Atlanta and its suburbs.
– Rebecca Morin
Utah governor who was once a vocal critic of Trump wins reelection
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox won a second term after reversing his anti-Donald Trump stance and saying he would vote for the former president.
A week after telling CNN he did not cast a ballot for Trump in 2016 or 2020 and that he didn’t plan to support him in 2024, Trump’s first assassination attempt changed his mind. After winning his party’s primary, Cox faced a crowded field of opponents in the general election including Democrat Brian King. Cox emerged victorious.
Utah voters also elected Cox governor in 2020. This victory came after he served two terms as lieutenant governor under GOP Gov. Gary Herbert. Cox also briefly represented District 58 in the state’s House of Representatives in 2013 before Herbert appointed him lieutenant governor.
– Rachel Barber
Harris wins Nebraska ‘blue dot’
Kamala Harris has won Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district. She is awarded 1 electoral vote.
Nebraska awards its electoral votes via statewide tally, in addition to congressional districts, making it different from other states that award only one pot of electoral votes. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, was born in Nebraska and grew up in the state. He campaigned several times in the Cornhusker State, hoping to appeal to voters.
Democrats have won Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, which is in the Omaha area, both in the 2008 and 2020 presidential elections.
– Rebecca Morin
Washington elects Democrat Bob Ferguson as governor
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, defeated Republican former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert and will become the state’s next governor.
Evergreen State voters first elected Ferguson attorney general in 2012. He won reelection in 2016 and 2020. His gubernatorial campaign centered on issues including the opioid epidemic, civil rights, and the environment.
The race pitted Ferguson against Reichert, an Air Force Reserve veteran and longtime police officer.
In the state’s crowded nonpartisan primary earlier this year, Ferguson received 44.9% of the vote and Reichert placed second with 27.5%.
– Rachel Barber
Can Harris still win? Harris campaigns says it remains hopeful about ‘blue wall’ as path narrows
The Harris campaign late Tuesday insisted it remains hopeful about the vice president’s ability to sweep the three so-called “blue wall” states – a sign they acknowledge winning Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan might be Harris’ only remaining path to win the election.
“We have known all along that our clearest path to 270 electoral votes lies through the Blue Wall states,” Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in an email to campaign staff. “And we feel good about what we’re seeing.”
Harris, however, is underperforming among Black and Latino voters, two core Democratic constituencies, which has the potential to doom her chances in all three “blue wall” states, according to exit polls. Trump is the projected winner in North Carolina and is ahead in votes tallied in Georgia. If Harris loses both, she would need to win the trifecta of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan to beat Trump.
As signs of hope for Harris, O’Malley Dillon said turnout in Philadelphia and Bucks County have exceeded the campaign’s expectations. In Michigan, the campaign said it has seen high turnout in Detroit. And in Wisconsin, O’Malley Dillon pointed to uncounted votes in Dane and Milwaukee counties.
– Joey Garrison
Harris picks up New Mexico
Democrat Kamala Harris has won the state of New Mexico. She is awarded 5 electoral votes.
Democrats have carried the state in presidential elections since 1992, except for 2004 when then-President George W. Bush was seeking reelection.
– Rebecca Morin
Donald Trump wins North Carolina
Donald Trump has won the battleground state of North Carolina, the first swing state to be called on Election Day.
– Marina Pitofsky
Trump wins Iowa
Republican Donald Trump has won the state of Iowa. He is awarded 6 electoral votes.
Once considered a battleground state, Iowa opted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020. The state has leaned more Republican in recent years, and it now has an all-Republican congressional delegation. Still, Iowa holds a special title during primary season: It traditionally holds a first-in-the-nation caucus in presidential primaries.
– Rebecca Morin
Harris clinches Colorado
Democrat Kamala Harris has won the state of Colorado. She is awarded 10 electoral votes.
Democrats have carried Colorado since 2008, when then-Sen. Barack Obama won. In 2020, President Joe Biden won the state by a double-digit margin.
– Rebecca Morin
Union members split for Harris, Fox reports
Voters belonging to a labor union or who live in households with labor union members broke in favor for Harris over Trump, according to a Fox News analysis, in partnership with the Associated Press.
Union members themselves favored Harris 57% to 39% for Trump, while those living with union members went for the vice president 50% compared to 46% for the former president.
This slice of the electorate was seen as potentially make-or-break for the campaigns heading into Election Day, with a particularly heavy union presence in the swing states. Traditionally Democratic supporters, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters caused uproar by deciding earlier this year to endorse neither candidate.
– Savannah Kuchar and Sara Chernikoff
Is Oregon a swing state?
Oregon is not typically an area where presidential candidates will battle it out. The Beaver State's eight electoral votes are reliably blue, having voted for Democrats in every presidential election since 1988 by increasingly large margins.
In 2020, the state voted for President Joe Biden by over a 16 point margin and in 2016 for Hillary Clinton by 11 points.
The polls close in Oregon at 11 p.m. ET and could start to be released as early as 10 p.m.
– Sam Woodward
More: Americans take their children to the polls as voters decide the next US president
Mike Kehoe is Missouri’s next governor
Missouri voters elected Republican Lieutenant Gov. Mike Kehoe their next governor.
Kehoe emerged from his party’s crowded field as the Republican nominee to succeed his boss, Gov. Mike Parson. He won in the general election against Democratic nominee Crystal Quade.
On the campaign trail, Kehoe made news for refusing to acknowledge that Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election after he previously said people need to “accept the results.”
He was first appointed lieutenant governor in 2018 after serving in the Missouri State Senate since 2011.
– Rachel Barber
GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte wins second term in Montana
Montana voters reelected Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte to serve a second term.
Gianforte first assumed Montana’s highest office in 2021 with a decisive victory. This year, he handily defeated his Republican challenger, Tanner Smith, in the primary.
Before serving as governor, Gianforte worked as a businessman and founded five companies. He was elected to represent Montana’s at-large congressional district in 2017 and shortly after pled guilty to assaulting a reporter. A USA TODAY analysis from 2019 labeled Gianforte the richest member of the 116th Congress.
– Rachel Barber
Republican Kelly Ayotte is New Hampshire’s next governor
Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican who earned the current GOP governor’s endorsement, will assume New Hampshire highest office after her opponent conceded Tuesday night.
Ayotte represented The Granite State in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2017. A former prosecutor, she served New Hampshire as its first female attorney general from 2004 to 2009 before her election to Congress.
After easily winning her party’s primary, Ayotte faced off against Democrat Joyce Craig in the general election. The race became one of the country’s most competitive gubernatorial matchups.
– Rachel Barber
Florida abortion rights ballot measure, Amendment 4, fails
The ballot measure that would have enshrined abortion in the state constitution failed to meet the 60% threshold to pass. The amendment received approximately 57% approval, according to the Florida Department of State election results page.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted about the amendment's failure in a post on X on Sunday night.
"With polls now closed in Florida — Amendment 3 has failed. Amendment 4 has failed," DeSantis wrote on X a little after 8 p.m.
– Ana Gon?i-Lessan
North Dakota elects Republican Kelly Armstrong governor
Republican Kelly Armstrong will be North Dakota’s next governor.
The race to fill the state’s highest office began when Gov. Doug Burgum announced he would not seek reelection after ending his bid for the White House. Armstrong has represented North Dakota’s at-large congressional district in the House of Representatives since 2019.
He launched his campaign for governor the day after Burgum’s announcement and won the Republican primary comfortably in June. He faced Democrat Merrill Piepkorn in the general election.
When he won his congressional seat in 2018, Armstrong’s federal financial disclosure form detailed income from hundreds of North Dakota oil wells and a financial relationship with two state oil producers, ProPublica reported. Those ties may matter. As governor, he is set to chair two state bodies that regulate the energy industry.
– Rachel Barber
Democrat Matt Meyer is Delaware’s next governor
Democrat Matt Meyer has defeated Republican Mike Ramone and will become Delaware’s next governor.
A lawyer, businessman, and former teacher, Meyer has served as New Castle County Executive since 2017. Despite opposition from the state Democratic party’s leadership, including Gov. John Carney, Meyer won the party primary earlier this year.
– Rachel Barber
State-by-state election results
Find all your state-by-state live results here:
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Exit polls: Gender gap persists, economy and democracy top issues
A gender gap between voters who support Kamala Harris and former Donald Trump remains among voters who hit the polls on Tuesday, according to exit polls.
More than half (54%) of Harris’ supporters are women, with 44% men, according to national exit polls from CNN. Among Trump, 54% of his supporters are men while 43% are women.
The former president was also able to cut into Democrats’ support among Latino voters – especially among Latino men.
Exit polls show that 53% of Latino voters support Harris while 45% support Trump. In 2020, President Joe Biden had the support of 65% of Latino voters compared to Trump at 32%, according to a CNN exit poll from 2020. More than half (54%) of Latino men support Trump but only 45% support Harris. But 59% of Latino men supported Biden in 2020, while 36% of Latino men supported Trump, according to 2020 exit polls.
The state of democracy and the economy were the biggest concerns on the minds of voters as they headed to the polls on Tuesday, according to a series of exit polls. More than one-third of voters in a CNN exit poll said democracy was their top issue, while about three in 10 cited the economy. Abortion and immigration were next on voters’ list of concerns. Fewer than 5% cited foreign policy as their top issue.
– Rebecca Morin and Michael Collins
More: Who's more likely to turn out? Women or men? What does it mean for Harris vs. Trump?
Fani Willis, lead prosecutor in Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case in Georgia, wins second term
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the lead prosecutor in the 2020 election interference state case against Donald Trump in Georgia, won a second term on Tuesday.
Willis ran against Republican Courtney Kramer, who served as a litigation consultant on Trump’s legal team after the 2020 presidential election. Kramer also provided legal assistance to state legislators developing Georgia’s controversial 2021 election law, which led the Major League Baseball Association to relocate its All-Star Game that year.
Willis leapt to national fame for her office's investigation and indictment of Trump, who is facing felony state charges for allegedly conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia and participating in a “criminal enterprise.” Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case.
– Sudiksha Kochi and Karissa Waddick
Harris supporters await results at Howard University election night party in 'the Yard'
As the polls closed on the East Coast, a hip hop and Gospel party was underway at “the Yard” at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the historically Black university where Kamala Harris went to undergrad.
The Howard University Gospel Choir gave a rendition of “Oh Happy Day.” A DJ played Kirk Franklin’s “Stomp.” A large screen showed sweeping images of the crowd that awaits Harris, the first Black and Asian woman to lead a major party’s presidential ticket. If elected, Harris would be the first graduate of an HBCU to become president.
Howard University president Ben Vinson III told students and alumni who gathered to support her at the event, “Here, we know our history, we know our importance, we know the contributions we can make to the world. And we know that completing the work of America, and completing the work of democracy, entails the knowledge born in institutions like these, pillars for higher education, that mold citizens of the world.”
– Francesca Chambers
Democrats gather at historic Manuel's Tavern in Atlanta to await election results
Tucked away in Atlanta, Georgia sits Manuel's Tavern, an unassuming bar that has long been a fixture for Democrats. Former President Jimmy Carter first announced his gubernatorial campaign at the bar; Barack Obama is another one of its famous patrons.
Democrats gathered again at Manuel's Tavern on Election Night. The crowd spilled out into the parking lot, where hundreds of people anxiously awaited results. Gene Webster, 84, was among the crowd outside the tavern. She cast her first ballot in 1960 during the race between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. But it was her vote for Kamala Harris, cast on the first day of early voting, that she said meant the most.
"I love Kamala Harris," Webster said, "I love her positions and what she plans on doing as president." It also helped that Harris is a fellow sister of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest Black sorority, Webster laughed. But it was Harris' focus on the economy that most appealed to Webster, like the Democrat's proposed loans for small businesses and new home owners.
"My son is a small business owner. My grandson is about to buy his first home," she said. "Harris' economic policies would really touch my life all the way around."
– Melissa Cruz
Trump clinches Ohio
Republican Donald Trump has won the state of Ohio. He is awarded 17 electoral votes.
JD Vance, Trump’s vice presidential running mate, serves as senator for the state. Trump won Ohio both in 2016 and 2020. Ohio is often considered a bellwether that typically votes for the winner of the presidential election, with 2020 being the first time in the last 14 elections that it didn’t vote for the president.
The state was also at the center of a debate on immigration in recent months after both Trump and Vance promoted false rumors that Haitian migrants were eating the pets of their neighbors in Springfield, Ohio.
– Rebecca Morin
Trump claims Texas
Republican Donald Trump has won the state of Texas, according to CNN and Fox News. He is awarded 40 electoral votes.
Texas has the second most electoral votes in the country, second to California. The state has been reliably red since 1980.
– Rebecca Morin
Harris wins New York
Democrat Kamala Harris has won the state of New York. She is awarded 28 electoral votes.
New York has voted for Democrats in the presidential election since 1988. Republican Donald Trump in the weeks leading up to the election repeatedly campaigned in the state, which was his home for decades before he moved to Florida after his term in the White House. Trump held major rallies in Long Island and in New York City at Madison Square Garden.
– Rebecca Morin
Great Plains, some Western States opt for Trump over Harris
Trump picked up North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and parts of Nebraska. He was expected to win all of the areas as polls continue to close across the country.
– Marina Pitofsky
Florida voters reject recreational marijuana, ending expensive ballot measure
Floridians have snuffed out the constitutional amendment allowing recreational marijuana.
Following the most expensive ballot measure battle in the nation, Decision Desk HQ has called the race with Amendment 3 several percentage points short of the approval threshold with the vast majority of votes counted. Gov. Ron DeSantis also declared the amendment dead.
With almost 95% of the vote tallied, the amendment was sitting at 57.1%, about 3% shy of what was needed for passage.
–Douglas Soule
Where are Trump, Harris tonight?
While the votes are being counted and exit polling is being analyzed, the candidates are waiting like the rest of the country to find out who won the election.
Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance will be at the former president's resort, Mar-a-Lago, but he's also holding a larger watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center in Palm Beach, Florida.
Kamala Harris will hold her election night party at her alma mater and historically Black college Howard University in Washington, D.C. Her running mate, Tim Walz, will join her there.
– Sam Woodward and Zac Anderson
Complimentary MAGA hats at Trump’s election night party
The White Claw costs $9. The MAGA hats are on the house.
Donald Trump’s election night watch party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center drew a large crowd of supporters Tuesday who dined on complimentary spring rolls and cheese platters and lined up for the cash bar.
Guests were handed red MAGA hats as they entered the Convention Center's exhibit hall. Domestic alcohol – Michelob Ultra and White Claw – cost $9, while imported beers – Modelo and Stella Artois – cost $10. A glass of wine is $13.
The crowd included a large group of Bikers for Trump, people emulating Trump’s garbage man stunt and wearing reflective construction vests, and some of the former president’s closest allies. New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, actor Kevin Sorbo and Trump aides Corey Lewandowki and Tim Murtaugh all made appearances in the exhibit hall early in the night before polls closed.
A stage flanked with American flags is setup for Trump to speak later in the evening.
– Zac Anderson
Kamala Harris picks up Delaware, Joe Biden's home state
Kamala Harris has won Delaware, clinching victory in President Joe Biden's home state. Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket over the summer after Biden ended his reelection bid in the wake of a disastrous debate performance.
– Marina Pitofsky
92,000 voters in Atlanta’s Fulton County cast ballots on Election Day, despite bomb threats
As the polls closed on Election Day, Fulton County Elections Director Nadine Williams said that 92,000 voters in the metro Atlanta county turned out to cast their ballot on Election Day. Along with the 417,000 Fulton County residents who voted early and 26,000 who cast absentee ballots, the 2024 turnout reached over half a million voters in Fulton County alone.
“These numbers surpass the total turnout for the 2020 election,” Williams said.
She also thanked the elections workers who operated polls, as well as phone lines and other services, to ensure that the election process went smoothly at all 177 precincts.
“Despite a few attempted disruptions, our staff and poll workers remained steadfast in their commitment to ensure a smooth process,” Williams said.
Fulton County Police Chief W. Wade Yates said that 32 precincts were targeted with bomb threats on Election Day. Some of the threats were called into 911 centers, some were called in to the precincts themselves and others were emailed in. Only five of those threats were deemed credible and resulted in evacuations. The hours at those five locations were extended by an emergency court order to ensure that voters were able to cast their ballots.
– Maya Homan
Josh Stein defeats Mark Robinson in North Carolina governor’s race, networks report
Democrat Josh Stein defeated Republican Mark Robinson in North Carolina, the country’s most high-profile governor’s race, according to Fox News and NBC News.
The battle between Stein, the state attorney general, and Robinson, the lieutenant governor, was one of the most expensive in the 2024 cycle and a defining matchup between a Southern Democrat and a red-meat Republican popular with the “Make America Great Again” crowd.
It was expected to be the country’s most competitive governor’s race before major scandal plagued the Robinson campaign.
– Rachel Barber
All eyes on Georgia election results, North Carolina election votes
While a few Southern states have opted for Donald Trump, all eyes are waiting to see tallies from the swing states of Georgia and North Carolina. Click on the links to follow along with the USA TODAY Network's results for both states.
– Marina Pitofsky
Harris wins Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland
Harris has picked up a few key Democratic strongholds in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland.
– Marina Pitofsky
Trump wins Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina
Donald Trump has clinched victory in Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina, three of the Southern states he was widely expected to win.
– Marina Pitofsky
Harris campaign touts strong turnout in Democratic stronghold Philadelphia
The Harris campaign remains encouraged by turnout in heavily Democratic Philadelphia – where Harris needs to build a massive advantage to win the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania.
As of 5:30 p.m. ET, the campaign said Philadelphia had exceeded the raw turnout of the 2016 election and overperformed the campaign’s internal expectations.
The campaign said as of 5 p.m. ET the three Philadelphia wards with the highest densities of Puerto Rican voters had surpassed 2020 turnout – a tally that includes both mail-in ballots and Election Day voters.
The Harris campaign has been banking on strong numbers from Puerto Rican voters, particularly after a comedian at a Trump rally last week at New York’s Madison Square Garden referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” angering many Puerto Ricans.
– Joey Garrison
Harris campaign dispatches celebrities to encourage college students to stay in line
The Harris campaign has dispatched celebrities to encourage college students to stay in line to vote at voting precincts near heavily Democratic college campuses.
The campaign said it has sent actor Paul Rudd to visit with students in line at Pennsylvania.
In addition, the campaign has Facetimed in actress Jennifer Garner to encourage students at voting sites around Villanova University in Philadelphia, actor Josh Gad at precincts near Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, businessman Mark Cuban at voting sites near UNC-Charlotte in North Carolina, and Demi Lovato at precincts around UNLV in Las Vegas.
– Joey Garrison
First-time voter wary of Harris's stance on Israel-Hamas war casts provisional ballot
Cole James, a college student studying business at Georgia State University, was the last voter to leave the Parkside Elementary School polling location in Atlanta as it closed down at 7 p.m. EDT. James said he had to cast a provisional ballot because he registered in north Georgia before moving to the Atlanta area.
James said he voted for Harris, although he was concerned that Harris hasn't put enough effort into issues related to Palestine. He also had concerns about her track record as a former prosecutor, saying he read that she put people behind bars who didn't need to be there, for example for a "small drug charge for weed and simple things like that."
"But I think her policies on abortion and cutting taxes and getting – helping middle class families is also very important as well," James said. He didn't have a prediction of what will happen.
"Everyone wants a slice of the cake, if that makes any sense," he said. "Depending on the president and their policies and who they back, it really just will shift, I guess, the paradigm of the country for the next three to four years."
– Aysha Bagchi
Republican Phil Scott reelected governor in Vermont
Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott will serve a fifth term in the state’s highest office.
Voters in The Green Mountain State first elected Scott their governor in 2016. He won reelection in 2018, 2020, and 2022. This year, he ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He defeated his Democratic challenger, Esther Charlestin, in the general election. A moderate Republican, Scott has focused on issues of affordability and economic growth.
In a rare bipartisan partnership, Scott previously served three terms as the state’s lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2017 alongside Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin. Before that, he had served in the Vermont State Senate since 2001.
– Rachel Barber
Patrick Morrisey is West Virginia’s next governor
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, will be the state’s next governor.
Morrisey entered the race to serve in The Mountain State’s highest office after Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced he would not seek reelection and would instead run for retiring Democrat Joe Manchin’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
Morrisey emerged victorious from a crowded Republican primary earlier this year and faced seven opponents in the general election. His strongest challenger was Democrat Steve Williams.
– Rachel Barber
Donald Trump wins West Virginia
Donald Trump has picked up West Virginia, one of the ruby-red states he was expected to win on Tuesday.
– Marina Pitofsky
What did the map of 2020 election results look like?
In 2020, then-incumbent President Donald Trump lost the election to President Joe Biden.
Biden secured 306 Electoral College votes over Trump's 232. Of the seven battleground states, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia flipped in Biden's favor.
He also won the popular vote by over seven million votes, the most votes ever cast for a presidential candidate.
– Sam Woodward
Indiana elects Republican Mike Braun governor
Indiana voters elected Sen. Mike Braun to serve the state as its next governor.
A former Democrat turned Republican, Braun has represented The Hoosier State in the Senate since 2019. Before serving in the U.S. Congress, Braun was in the Indiana House of Representatives.
The lawmaker and wealthy businessman beat out five other office seekers in the Republican primary earlier this year.
– Rachel Barber
Trump claims first state (Kentucky); crowd cheers at election night party
The Trump crowd in Palm Beach County is getting into the spirit of things.
Several hundred cheered when television networks called Kentucky for the former president. Few noticed when those same networks called Vermont for Harris.
Event organizers cut off the recorded music and began playing the Fox News coverage of the returns.
– David Jackson
First wins come in: Trump takes Kentucky, Indiana; Harris takes Vermont
In the first wins of the night, Donald Trump has picked up Kentucky and Indiana, and Kamala Harris has claimed Vermont.
– Marina Pitofsky
Obama: Chill and be patient for results
Former President Barack Obama is advising Americans to keep calm as the 2024 election results pour in Tuesday.
"It took several days to count every ballot in 2020, and it’s very likely we won’t know the outcome tonight either," Obama said on X, formerly Twitter.
Specifically, he asked for people to respect election workers who are tallying the ballots: "Don’t share things before checking your sources," he said.
"Let the process run its course. It takes time to count every ballot."
– Phillip M. Bailey
Election 2024 results: Follow electoral college map as precincts report
As Americans make their voices heard across the country, keep up with results in the race for the White House and Congressional battlegrounds at the USA TODAY Network's hub.
– USA TODAY staff
Harris campaign optimistic by turnout among Puerto Rican voters, young voters in Pennsylvania
In the fight for the critical battleground of Pennsylvania, the Harris campaign said it is encouraged by high turnout in Puerto Rican neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania’s college towns and communities.
“This coalition is coming together, and this is the day it matters,” Stephanie Cutter, a Harris campaign senior adviser, said on MSNBC.
“We don't expect this race to be called early, but we are optimistic that we are literally about to be able to turn the page on Donald Trump and install Vice President Harris as the next president of the United States,” she said.
The Harris campaign said as of midday Tuesday the three wards with the highest concentration of registered Puerto Rican voters were already at 79% of total 2020 turnout. The campaign said it is sending surrogates – and working to extend voting hours – to college areas like Lehigh University in Lehigh, Pennsylvania, where college students have reported standing in seven-hour lines to vote.
– Joey Garrison
Can U.S. territories vote in presidential elections?
Well, it's complicated. The United States' five territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico -- may be able to participate in the presidential primaries, but that's the extent of their involvement in the election cycle.
The U.S. Constitution awards it's president based on the Electoral College which allots votes to states to then give to the candidate who wins their state. Despite allowing these five territories to vote in presidential primaries and sending delegates to both party conventions, they are not granted Electoral College votes and therefore cannot have a say in who is president on the final ballots.
Whether residents of these territories can cast a ballot for Election Day is dependent on if they hold formal residency in one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C.
Notably, over two-thirds of Puerto Ricans live in the states and D.C., over half a million of them being concentrated in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. The voting bloc has been in the spotlight since Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally two weeks ago has been criticized as racist for a comment made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage."
– Anna Kaufman and Sam Woodward
Legal fights and long, long lines: Live updates on Election Day snags
Will lawmakers and congressional candidates commit to upholding the 2024 results? We asked
With nearly half of the country's Republicans and a quarter of Democrats questioning whether next month's presidential election will be fair, USA TODAY wanted to know where members of the next Congress stand on the issue.
So, we surveyed all 382 members of the House and 91 Senators who are either running for re-election or would still be in office in January, asking whether they would uphold the 2024 presidential election results, regardless of the winner. We also polled 747 candidates running for the House and Senate whose names are on the ballot this year. Those who agreed to uphold the results without conditions include:
117 sitting House members, 14 of whom are Republicans and 103 are Democrats;
27 sitting Senate members, 2 of whom are Republicans and 25 Democrats;
236 candidates for House and Senate, including 130 Democrats, 45 Republicans and 61 third-party candidates.
Here’s a full breakdown of how lawmakers responded.
– Sudiksha Kochi
About 10 Georgia precincts to stay open late after Russia bomb threat: Raffensperger
Approximately 10 Georgia voting precincts will be staying open late, each for about 20-40 minutes, as a result of a bomb threat that came from Russia in the morning, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
The precincts are in various counties, including Atlanta's Fulton County and Atlanta-adjacent Gwinnett County, Raffensperger said. The normal time for polling locations to close across the Peach State is 7 p.m. EDT.
Earlier Tuesday, the FBI announced that bomb threats appearing to come from Russian email domains targeted polling sites in several states. None of them were determined to be credible.
– Aysha Bagchi
Allan Lichtman reaffirms prediction, calls out Nate Silver
Historian Allan Lichtman, who has accurately predicted nine of the last 10 presidential elections, reaffirmed his prediction that Harris will narrowly defeat Trump. Lichtman also called out fellow predictor Nate Silver, despite him sharing the same projected result.
“Nate Silver’s compilation of polls is so unreliable that he now says that who will win the presidency is down to luck,” Lichtman wrote in a post on X Monday.
Silver's final 2024 presidential election forecast had Harris as the winner by a razor-thin margin after she won 40,012 of the total 80,000 simulations.
Lichtman on the other hand uses his "13 Keys to the White House" system to determine who will win the election. He voiced his confidence in his system in a separate X post on Monday writing, "Mark my words… The Keys will be right again!"
-- Jonathan Limehouse and Savannah Kuchar
Where is Biden on Election Day?
The president will be in the White House this evening to watch election results start rolling in.
Once the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Biden has no public events scheduled for the remainder of Election Day.
-- Savannah Kuchar
Trump backers prepare to party in West Palm Beach
Trump aides are putting the finishing touches on an election watch party in a cavern-like ballroom at the Palm Beach Convention Center.
American flags, pro-Trump signs, and bunting are in place; so are theater-size screens with boxes featuring different news networks.
The sound system is being tested with Trump's playlist.
A few dozen Trump supporters started trickling in shortly after 4 p.m,. staking out the front row at the railing in front of the stage. "The gang's all here?" someone shouted.
Now all we need is some results.
Trump himself is at Mar-a-Lago, about three-and-a-half miles away, hoping to appear at the watch party late tonight or early tomorrow morning.
-David Jackson
Harris visits DNC headquarters and thanks supporters on Election Day
Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise visit to a phone bank organized by the Democratic National Committee in Washington D.C., and thanked volunteers there.
According to pool reports, she walked in with a box of Doritos.
"This is just the best, best, best and I thank you all very much," she said. Then picked up a phone and spoke to the person on the other end: “I am well," she said. "Have you voted already? You did? Thank you!"
She spoke to another person, who appeared to be a kid, and said: “It's Kamala Harris. Waiting for you to grow 10 years more." Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Closest elections in US history
The contest between Harris and Trump is remarkably close, with polls showing razor-thin margins in key swing states. A nail-biter of a race is hardly new, though.
In 2000, when Al Gore faced off against George W. Bush, the race was eventually decided by just 537 votes after the Supreme Court ended a legal battle lasting over 30 days.
Other close elections include 1876, in which Rutherford B. Hayes won by just one electoral vote, the smallest margin in American history, and 1916 in which Woodrow Wilson bested Charles Evans Hughes in a contest that came down to California.
-Anna Kaufman
Trump pays brief visit to his campaign headquarters
While waiting for actual election returns, Trump paid a brief visit to his national campaign headquarters, talking up turnout and predicting victory.
"It should be good," Trump told members of his staff.
Former first lady Melania Trump accompanied the former president and also lauded the staff. "Thank you so much for all of your support," she said.
As he did after voting earlier in the day, Trump said it's "crazy" to realize that it could be days before a winner is determined. He again called for all "paper ballots," although those take longer to tabulate.
In an event, Trump told aides and volunteers that he is looking forward to what he hopes will be a victory party.
"I'll be seeing you tonight," Trump said.
-David Jackson
A trip down memory lane: What a year! 12 months of the craziest election campaign in memory.
700,000 more Georgians have voted by 2:30pm EDT on Election Day
Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a press conference that 700,000 Georgians had voted on Tuesday by about 2:30 p.m. EDT. If the rate of voting holds for the rest of the day, about 1.1 million Georgians will have voted on Tuesday, he said.
Already, more than 4 million voters in the state during the early voting period that closed Friday.
– Aysha Bagchi
Does Puerto Rico vote for president?
While Puerto Rico conducts primary elections and sends delegates to both the RNC and DNC, the U.S. territory has no electoral college votes so does not weigh in during the general election. However, residents of Puerto Rico are American citizens, so those who have moved from the territory to one of the 50 states or Washington D.C., can cast a ballot for president.
A large number of Puerto Ricans live in the states, roughly 5.8 million, according to the Pew Research Center. They represent the second-largest population of Hispanic origin living in America and a sizeable voting bloc.
The other U.S. territories -- Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa -- also do not have any electoral votes.
-- Anna Kauffman
Trump votes in Florida: 'I feel very confident'
Trump, voting Tuesday in Palm Beach, Florida, said he was feeling "very confident." The Republican candidate, accompanied by former first lady Melania Trump, said he believed “Republicans have shown up in force.”
Trump devoted part of his post-voting comments to two media institutions: Fox News and Oprah Winfrey.Trump said Winfrey “should be ashamed of herself” for supporting Harris, while Fox should be ashamed of itself for broadcasting Winfrey’s comments in support of his opponent. People used to think that Fox was pro-Trump, the television-watching candidate said.
“They’re not pro-Trump at all,” he said. “They’ve put Oprah on all morning long. That’s all I see is Oprah.”
? David Jackson
Congressional election 2024 live updates Who will have control of the House, Senate?
On Election Day, Harris stops by a radio show
Harris participated Tuesday in “The Big Tigger Morning Show on V-103,” a radio show based out of Atlanta, and talked about her “lived experience” with Black men.
“This is not something I just figured out ? that we still have a lot to do to recognize the disparities in what Black men receive and what they are due in terms of access to opportunity,” she said.
While about 90% of Black men voted for President Joe Biden in 2020, a New York Times/Siena College poll in October showed 78% were planning to vote for Harris now. About 15% of Black likely voters said they planned to vote for Trump.
She talked about her “opportunity economy agenda that for Black men,” which includes a $20,000 forgivable loan for entrepreneurs for start-up expenses. She also said she wants to increase access to health screening for colon and prostate cancer.
“Our men have a higher rate of those cancers,” she said. “So my focus for Black men ranges from access to capital to what we need to do for health care.”
Who is more likely to turn out? Analyzing the gender gap
What happens if there’s an Electoral College tie?
In the unlikely event that there is a 269 to 269 tie in the Electoral College, a complicated process will begin to churn. First, the newly elected members of the House of Representatives would gather to vote for the new president. Here, each state’s delegation would get one vote. For example, California’s 52 House of Representatives members would have one vote the same as Wyoming’s single member.
Then, the Senate would gather to vote for the new vice president, so theoretically, a Harris-Vance or a Trump-Walz administration could be possible. In the Senate, every senator would have their own vote with a simple majority needed to choose a winner.
? Fernando Cervantes Jr.
An American election, with international implications
Americans aren't the only ones watching the U.S. presidential election closely. The next occupant of the White House will have an impact on global trade, security partnerships, diplomatic ties and could, for example, bring in more protectionist trade policies, shift global security dynamics and accelerate (or not) outcomes for wars from Gaza to Ukraine.
One country that's always watching: Russia. Moscow, in the form of Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, had this message for the next U.S. president: "It would be logical for the White House host, whoever he or she may be, to focus on solving his or her country's problems instead of seeking adventures tens of thousands of miles from American shores."
Separately, the Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on allegations made by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Tuesday that a bomb threat made against a polling place in his state was of Russian origin.
? Kim Hjelmgaard
What states are considered swing states?
The battleground states where some of the closest races are expected include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Those states have consistently shown polling within the margin of error, which describes how accurately the survey results are representative of the entire population. When a candidate's lead is "inside" the margin of error, it is considered a "statistical tie," according to Pew Research Center.
Pew has found the majority of pollsters have changed their methods since the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, where Trump's performance was significantly underestimated.
You can see the results of recent polling in swing states here.
? Kinsey Crowley and James Powel
Americans won't miss those campaign ads
There was one thing many American voters could agree to celebrate on Tuesday: the end of political advertising.
“I’m just ready to stop seeing these ads 24/7,” said Jacob Kossler, a 24-year-old software engineer who voted at the Cobb County Civic Center in Georgia. “I’m just trying to watch a football game without having to see two back-to-back ads … hearing about how someone is the devil.”
The 2024 federal election is on track to be the costliest ever, with spending near $16 billion, according to OpenSecrets.org, a non-profit organization that tracks money in U.S. politics.
Pranav Patel, 42, of Warrington Township, Pa., said he’s put off by the onslaught of outreach from both campaigns. Patel showed USA TODAY more than a dozen missed calls he received from campaigns during the two hours before he went to vote.
“That's not going to have me change my mind who I'm going to vote for,” he said.
? Deb Barfield Berry and Sarah Wire
'E-Day’ may not be the end of this election
Americans eager for the 2024 presidential race to end may not get their wish Tuesday as both camps are prepared for a prolonged election battle. The Harris campaign told reporters Monday the country might not know the election result "for several days," given the different count rules in the critical swing states. In North Carolina, where Trump defeated then-candidate Joe Biden by 73,697 votes, or 1.3%, four years ago, the count could drag on.
"No one here actually expects full resolution on E-Day," Todd Zimmer, co-founder of Down Home Carolina, a progressive-leaning nonprofit group, told USA TODAY. In a memo provided to USA TODAY, the group, which focuses on organizing in rural areas, advised its canvassers to be ready to help fix voter’s provisional ballots in case of a recount scenario where those votes could be challenged.
Zimmer said many activists, whether liberal or conservative, anticipate days or possibly weeks of administrative jockeying and legal maneuvering over election rules.
"It almost seems the foregone conclusion is we expect a recount or some kind of post-election activity to secure the popular vote," Zimmer said.
In Nevada, a first-time voter is first in line
In Nevada, waiting voters in Reno applauded after workers gave first-time voter Tyler Hilliard, 18, a certificate to mark the occasion. Hilliard, accompanied by his dad, was first in line and first to finish casting a ballot on the Washoe County electronic voting machine, finishing minutes after the polls opened at 7 a.m.
“It’s kind of heavy, to be honest,” Hilliard said. “I feel pride. I’m feel like I’m lucky I have the right to vote.”
Hilliard said he’s still struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and voted for candidates he felt would best support mental health. Watching with teary eyes, dad Tim Hilliard, 47, said he was proud of his son for getting up early to vote. Tim Hilliard said he voted by mail earlier, was confident his ballot had been properly tracked and counted and that it was important to trust the system.
“I do think we need to accept the results either way," he said. "I do wish legislators would learn how to compromise. Until we can get off this red-blue mess, we aren’t doing to learn what compromise is.”
? Trevor Hughes
Joe Rogan, Harrison Ford, other celebs offer endorsements
Celebrity endorsements have been steadily coming in throughout the campaign trail, and a few well-known names made their choices knowns this week. Among them were actor Harrison Ford, who said he backs Harris, and podcaster Joe Rogan, who favors Trump.
Media personality Megyn Kelly endorsed Trump during one of his Pennsylvania rallies on Monday, saying the former president "will be a protector of women." William Dwight McKissic Sr., the Texas mega-church pastor, endorsed Harris on social media, saying he wants a president who "would not instigate, finance, participate in, or even attend, a gathering such as the Jan 6 insurrection."
? Natalie Neysa Alund
In crucial Pennsylvania, this voter wants nation to unite
At the Grace Lutheran Church in Pottsdown, Pa., campaign signs lead straight to the door of the church. A line of voters wound around the corner. Lee Ann Barkasi, 67, of Pottsdown said she voted for Harris and said she is ready to see the country come together.
“There's so much hatred," she said. "I was standing in line in front of someone today, and the things they were saying, they were cursing, and it's not necessary. We're supposed to love one another."
She doesn’t know how the country will come back together though. But she said people need to accept the election results regardless of who wins.
“My neighbor across the street is Trump'.'" she said. "I'm Kamala, but she's allowed to believe or vote for who she wants to. ... Everybody's entitled to their opinion.”
? Sarah Wire
Trump-Harris polling remains close
Some of the last polls reflected what they have shown for months ? a very close race.
? Harris is leading former Trump by 2 percentage points in the latest Ipsos Core Political poll released Monday.
? The race is even tighter in the final TIPP Tracking Poll released Tuesday, which showed Trump with just a .3-point lead on Harris.
? Harris has a four-point lead over Trump in the final national poll released by Marist on Monday.
? Harris and Trump are in a statistical tie in the latest Forbes/HarrisX national poll released late Monday, with Harris holding a razor-thin 49%-48% lead.
? Eric Lagatta and James Powel
Dixville Notch voting reflects US division
Polling in the New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch opened at midnight Monday with the National Anthem played on an accordion. All six of its residents voted immediately, and Trump and Harris each won three votes. Four years ago Biden swept all five votes in the unincorporated township 10 miles east of Vermont. Eight years ago Hillary Clinton claimed four votes to two for Trump and one for Libertarian Gary Johnson.
No need to leave the polls open all day in this town, they close when "all have voted."
Where is Ivanka Trump?
After campaigning vigorously for her father, former President Donald Trump, during his two previous bids for the White House, Ivanka Trump has been absent from the campaign trail this time around. Although the Trump daughter did make an appearance during the Republican National Convention in July, she had announced her intention to stay away from the race after her father announced his candidacy in 2022.
“This time around I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family,” she said in a statement.
First gentleman hopeful Doug Emhoff closes campaign with Lady Gaga
Doug Emhoff closed out his campaign for wife Kamala Harris on Monday night with a celebrity-studded rally in Pennsylvania. After a brief performance and speech, Lady Gaga introduced Emhoff as the soon-to-be first gentlemen. Emhoff echoed what has been his main campaign riff: Harris was the right person to trust with his family when they married, and is the right person for America right now.
“My wife cares about what you’re going through, she understands what’s in your way,” Emhoff told the crowd.
Harris’ husband has been an energetic campaign companion for the candidate. Alongside VP-hopeful Tim Walz, Emhoff has sparked a larger conversation around masculinity in a race increasingly defined by gender.
? Anna Kaufman
Vance calls Harris 'trash,' derides her for Biden's garbage gaffe
In an election eve rally, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance referred to Harris, as "trash" that needs to be taken out. During an appearance in Atlanta, Ohio's junior senator first criticized a statement by President Joe Biden last week in which he appeared to label supporters of Trump as "garbage." Biden said he was condemning comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who had derided Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage" at a Trump rally a few days earlier.
Vance returned to the moment on Monday, using it to knock Harris, rather than Biden.
“In two days, we are going to take out the trash in Washington, D.C.,” Vance said, “and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris.”
? Josh Meyer and Savannah Kuchar
Georgia official says 'smooth sailing' at the polls
"So far, it's just been smooth sailing, by and large," Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said of voting on Election Day in the Peach State at a Tuesday morning press conference.
The average line time in Georgia is currently two minutes and the average check-in on electronic poll pads is taking just 49 seconds, he said.
Georgia already saw huge turnout during its early voting period, which closed Friday, with more than 4 million people casting votes. In 2020, about 2.7 million voters cast ballots during the early voting period.
Raffensperger suggested short wait times in the state were boosting voters' willingness to make their voices heard. "It's just solid, steady, and it's more than you would think because the lines are moving so quickly – people in and out in less than 10 minutes," he said Tuesday.
– Aysha Bagchi
A little Election Day humor
In the midst of one of the most divisive and polarizing elections in recent memory, some Americans want to make their neighbors laugh again. In Goffstown, New Hampshire, Andy Brown decided to plant his own politcial lawn sign: “Andy Brown: Not running for anything. Just wanted a sign.”
Soon a friend of a friend surprised Brown by adding another sign "paid for by friends of Andy Brown." So, Brown doubled down on the joke and put up a 3-foot-by-5-foot custom banner with a new campaign slogan. “I like big signs, I cannot lie” ? a creative riff on Sir Mix-A-Lot lyrics.
In Arvada, Colorado, Mollie, a Labrador, is running for president against her next-door neighbor Chloe, a terrier. The two stumping canines share a common platform: “More treats, less squirrels.” Read more humorous takes on the election here.
? Jessica Guynn and Bailey Schulz
Congressional election 2024 live updates : Who will have control of the House, Senate?
New voter ID law will be tested in NC
Democrats in North Carolina fear the state's new voter ID law could deter turnout or result in votes being thrown out from core constituencies: the elderly, students, racial minorities and low-income voters. A lawsuit by North Carolina Republicans, for example, blocked University of North Carolina Chapel Hill students from using their mobile digital IDs to vote after the State Board of Elections approved the use.
All voters are still allowed to vote with or without a photo ID, according to the board, but any voter who cannot show identification must fill out a form explaining why before casting a provisional ballot that is susceptible to being challenged before the final tally is certified.
Matt Mercer, spokesman for the North Carolina GOP, said the state’s record 4.2 million in-person early voting ballots undercuts “radical” Democrat’s criticisms about the law’s impact.
“We trust the voters of North Carolina and their common sense belief that identification should be required,” he said.
How long after Election Day will we know who's president? Legal fights, long delays likely
Both major parties expect court battles over voter rolls, mail-in ballots and overseas ballots as polls show an incredibly tight contest between Harris and Trump. Election officials are on guard for equipment failures and software issues that snarled some local vote counts in prior elections – as well as violent threats that have infected the democratic process.
Trump has refused to commit to accepting Tuesday’s results, and he and many of his supporters assert that only rampant fraud by non-citizen voters could explain a possible loss. Live updates on Election Day snags an be found here.
? Bart Jansen, Aysha Bagchi and Dan Morrison
What is the Electoral College? What to know for Election Day 2024
Where are Trump and Harris today?
On Tuesday, the Harris-Walz campaign will host its election night event at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Harris’ alma mater. If elected, she will be the first U.S. president to graduate from a historically Black college and university (HBCU).
Donald Trump's presidential campaign will host an election watch party in his home county on Nov. 5, but the event will not be at Mar-a-Lago. Instead, the festivities will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The venue swap suggests the campaign is expecting a crush of national and international media, donors and supporters for what his backers expect will be a victory celebration.
? Antonio Fins and Terry Moseley
Are banks, post offices open? Here's what we know
Banks, schools, offices: What is open, closed on Election Day?
While voters head to the polls, their children may be enjoying their day off as many schools nationwide are not open Tuesday because of safety concerns, because they are polling sites or because they recognize Election Day as a public holiday. Fourteen states have deemed Election Day a public holiday, according to the Monument Advancement Movement. Here is an overview of how states will handle school on Election Day.
Many people will be trying to knock out regular day-to-day errands, such as picking up dry cleaning or going to the bank. Good news: Most banks are open. And the Postal Service will deliver mail.
While Election Day is not a federal holiday, many state offices are closed and 24 states offices, plus the District of Columbia, offer paid time off to vote. Other states offer time off for voting but with no pay.
Are schools closed? Here's what to know before polls open
Where do Harris, Trump stand in the polls?
Election Day 2024 is here, and Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck in the polls. In Real Clear Politics' average of national surveys, Trump leads Harris by 0.1 percentage point, well within the margin of error for each of the surveys included.
The Democratic and Republican nominees are also close in the swing states. For example, Harris leads Trump 0.4 percentage points in Real Clear Politics' average of Wisconsin polls.
Got election questions? Sign up for USA TODAY's On Politics newsletter for breaking news and exclusive analysis.
Where do Harris and Trump stand on key issues?
Although Harris and Trump's visions for solving Americans’ largest problems differ, both have pledged to address inflation, lower taxes and support Israel in its war against Hamas. They have also both committed to ending federal taxes on tips.
Still, Harris and Trump have seriously different pitches for the nation. They diverge most on climate change, reproductive rights and gun control. If you're still undecided between the Democratic and Republican nominees, check out USA TODAY's voter guide to see what Trump and Harris have said about major issues, in their own words.
What time do the polls open and close?
Across the country, polling hours on Nov. 5 will vary by location.
Most states will allow voters to cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, in some areas of Vermont, polls opened as early as 5 a.m., and in New York, polls will close as late as 9 p.m. Check with your state or local election office or its website to find the correct window when you can vote in your area.
USA TODAY’s Voter Guide details everything you need to know about making sure your voice is heard in this year’s general election.
Nation's capital increases security measures
At noon on the eve of Election Day, the familiar mix of tourists, locals, and government workers seeking fresh air on lunch hour milled as usual in Lafayette Square, next to the White House in downtown Washington, D.C. They were met with an unusual sight – a heavy, metal fence around 10 feet high surrounded the White House, the street in front and a bronze statue of former President Andrew Jackson astride his horse at the center of the park.
The Secret Service's decision to erect the fence ahead of Election Day left tourists frustrated and Americans on edge at the prospect of violence or unrest in the nation's capital amid an extraordinarily tight election.
To some, the fences were a bad omen ahead of an election that's been marked by threats of violence. "You see all the fences around here, and you wonder," said Mike Longmeyer, 64, visiting the capital from Redlands, California.
? Cybele Mayes-Osterman
How we got here
It's been a presidential campaign marked by shocking, historic moments. Trump faced two assassination attempts, including a devastating shooting at a rally over the summer where one attendee, Corey Comperatore, was killed.
President Joe Biden became the first incumbent president in decades to not to seek a second term in office after a disastrous debate performance, clearing the way for Harris.
What is the Electoral College?
Millions of Americans will cast a vote for the next president of the United States but votes from the Electoral College are what send a candidate into office. The system grants electoral votes to the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on their population.
There are 538 electors nationwide and a candidate needs 270 of them to win the White House. Many states give all of their electoral votes to one candidate, in a winner-take-all system, but Maine and Nebraska can split their votes up.
Because of this voting structure, a candidate can win the election despite losing the popular vote, like Trump did in 2016.
? Sarah Gleason
How long does it take to count votes?
It depends where you live. Each state handles its elections differently, ranging from weeks-long early voting periods to strict voter ID laws.
For example, key swing states that Trump and Harris are vying for, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, aren't permitted to start processing absentee and mail-in ballots until Election Day, which is expected to slow down the count.
If you’re looking for a comparison, in 2020, it took four days for all of the votes to be counted, resulting in Biden's victory on Nov. 7.
– Sam Woodward
When does the next president take office?
The next presidential inauguration day is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
Every four years the ceremony takes place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. This year, inauguration day will fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Election 2024 replay: Trump wins White House, defeats Harris