Election day has arrived in the United States, with millions of voters heading to the polls in one of the most closely watched and pivotal contests in recent history.
Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival, Donald Trump, are in a tight race, with little difference in national polls that have shown minimal movement for weeks. Key swing states, such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina, are evenly split, with Pennsylvania anticipated to play a decisive role in the outcome.
“If we win Pennsylvania, we win the whole thing,” Trump, 78, declared at a rally in Reading, Pennsylvania, on his last day of campaigning. Later, at an event in Pittsburgh, he portrayed the election as a choice between a “golden age” under his leadership or “four more years of failure” with Harris in office.
Harris, 60, concluded her campaign in Pennsylvania, where she rallied with celebrities Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, who emphasized the importance of voting against the dangers posed by Trump’s return. “If we don’t show up tomorrow, we may never get the chance to vote again,” Winfrey warned.
The swing states are set to determine the winner, as the American electoral system relies on an electoral college rather than a national popular vote. Each candidate must secure 270 electoral votes to win, with battleground states holding the key to victory.
With over 78 million early ballots cast, the final outcome may remain unclear for days. Close margins in swing states could delay full results, keeping Americans and the world in suspense over the next president.
This election closes a divisive campaign that has heightened social tension and sparked fears of potential unrest, especially if Harris wins and Trump disputes the result. Harris has focused on countering Trump’s authoritarian tendencies, holding a massive rally on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., the same location where Trump once encouraged supporters on January 6, 2021.
“On day one, if Trump wins, he’ll walk in with a list of enemies. I’ll walk in with priorities for the American people,” Harris said.
Harris’ campaign aims to mark a new chapter, standing against what she describes as Trump’s fascist ideology, while promising to address the divisions across the political spectrum.
Trump, meanwhile, has run a campaign rooted in personal grievances, appealing to those who see America as deteriorating under Democratic leadership. His rhetoric has included unsubstantiated claims portraying Harris and Biden as leftist extremists who have hurt the economy with high inflation and divisive social policies.
Immigration and border security are central themes in Trump’s platform, with his statements often straying into incendiary and racially charged language. He has described undocumented immigrants as “animals” who are “poisoning” the nation’s blood.
The heightened language from both campaigns has led to fears of possible violence, especially if the results are contested. In the days leading up to the election, ballot drop boxes in several states were destroyed.
While tensions have escalated, Trump himself was targeted in two separate assassination attempts. During a Pennsylvania rally, a bullet grazed his ear, and an armed assailant was apprehended at a Florida golf course before he could act. Neither incident appeared politically motivated or linked to any specific party.
