United States Presidential Election: Trump and Harris Secure Early Wins
Early Returns
As the polls continue to close across the United States, Republican nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris, have secured more early wins. According to reports from Anadolu Agency, Trump is currently leading Harris in the race to reach 270 Electoral College votes, with 198-112.
Candidate Performance
Trump has recently put Colorado and Washington, D.C. in his win column, while Harris has secured wins in Missouri, Montana, and Utah. Much of the US West, where Harris is expected to rack up big wins across the coast, remains outstanding.
Electoral College System
To win the presidency, either candidate needs to secure 270 Electoral College votes. Electors are allocated to states based on their population, and most states give all of their delegates to the candidate who wins the state in the general vote. However, the winner-take-all model is not followed in Nebraska and Maine, which instead allocate their votes based on the outcome in congressional districts, as well as the state’s popular vote winner.
Poll Closures
Poll closures will continue at half-hour or hour intervals, with the final closures in Hawaii at midnight Eastern Time (0500GMT), followed by Alaska at 1am Eastern Time (0600GMT).
Battleground States
The race is all but certain to come down to the seven key battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where the nominees are facing narrow contests with spreads well within the margins of error in several surveys. Polls have now closed in each of these states.
Campaigning Efforts
Both candidates have spent the final week before the election campaigning hard in swing states. Harris visited Pennsylvania for a series of rallies in multiple cities on Monday, while Trump spent the day in Pennsylvania and held a late-night rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Unlikely to Declare a Victor
It is highly unlikely that major media organizations will declare a victor on Tuesday night, as had been the norm up until 2020, due to the closeness of the races in the battleground states.
Conclusion
As the results continue to roll in, it is clear that this election will be a closely contested one. Both candidates have secured early wins, but the outcome remains uncertain. As the polls continue to close, the nation waits with bated breath to see who will emerge victorious.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Electoral College system?
The Electoral College system is a process in which each state is allocated a certain number of electoral votes based on its population. The candidate who wins the most votes in a state receives all of that state’s electoral votes, except in Nebraska and Maine, which allocate their votes based on the outcome in congressional districts and the state’s popular vote winner. - How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win the presidency?
A candidate needs to secure 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. - What are the battleground states in this election?
The battleground states are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.