US Election 2024 live online: Trump vs Harris race, polls, swing states and latest updates
US Election 2024: Live Updates
- Last day of campaigning before vote on 5 November
- A Des Moines Register poll shows Kamala in the lead in Iowa, a state Donald Trump won in 2016 and 2020
- Kamala Harris stops by Saturday Night Live! FCC says it violated the “equal time” rule
- Polls in the swing states remain close, with some showing a move in Kamala Harris' favor
- More than 76.4 million ballots have already been cast, according to the UF Election Lab
- Want to check voter registration status before heading out to the polls on Tuesday? Here's how.
For those heading to the polls on Tuesday, here are a few useful tips on how to complete the all important ballot paper.
"When you vote on Tuesday, remember this. Kamala is importing illegal alien rapists and murderers. Draconian monsters who are killing our children, our brothers, our sisters, our parents our friends. They are willing to kill anyone these people. They are true evil.
When I win, I will not let these animals into our country any longer. I will not let them spill one drop of precious, American blood. The United States is now an occupied country. Think about that. But it will soon be an occupied country no longer. November 5th 2024 will be Liberation Day".
Tim Walz will deliver his parting shot to the nation on late-night television on the eve of the 2024 US presidential election.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee is the special guest on CBS’ political satire talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday night - just hours before polling places across the United States open for one of the most anticipated Election Days in recent times.
What you can do if you have not yet submitted your mail or absentee ballot
In most states you can take the ballot you received in the mail to your designated polling place on Election Day. Depending on your state’s rules, you might be able to:
- Exchange your uncast absentee ballot for an in-person ballot
- Complete your absentee ballot and hand it in
- Cast a provisional ballot
Every state has different rules, so check with your state or local election office for the specific procedures.
Early voting and absentee voting options have expanded in recent years, but it’s crucial to understand the rules to avoid potential issues on Election Day.
The fundamental principle is that each eligible voter is entitled to cast only one ballot in an election. If you’ve already voted by mail or absentee ballot, you cannot vote again in person.
Social media is abuzz with rumors that Taylor Swift might attend a rally with Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania on the eve of Election Day.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the rally will take place in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Monday.
The states that will decide the election tomorrow
In the 2024 election, there are seven swing states: Pennsylvania (19 votes), Georgia (16), North Carolina (16), Michigan (15), Arizona (11), Wisconsin (10), and Nevada (6), collectively holding a crucial 93 electoral votes.
Expected Democratic states and electoral votes:
California (54)
New York (28)
Illinois (19)
New Jersey (14)
Virginia (13)
Washington (12)
Massachusetts (11)
Maryland (10)
Minnesota (10)
Colorado (10)
Oregon (8)
Connecticut (7)
New Mexico (5)
Hawaii (4)
Rhode Island (4)
New Hampshire (4)
Delaware (3)
District of Columbia (3)
Maine (3)
Vermont (3)
Total: 225
Expected Republican states and electoral votes:
Texas (40)
Florida (30)
Ohio (17)
Indiana (11)
Tennessee (11)
Missouri (10)
Alabama (9)
South Carolina (9)
Kentucky (8)
Louisiana (8)
Oklahoma (7)
Arkansas (6)
Iowa (6)
Kansas (6)
Mississippi (6)
Utah (6)
Idaho (4)
Montana (4)
Nebraska (4)
West Virginia (4)
Alaska (3)
North Dakota (3)
South Dakota (3)
Wyoming (3)
Total: 188
As we enter the final hours before the 2024 Presidential election, some perceived peculiarities include the fact that not all states carry the same weight in the results, the “first-past-the-post” system, and the role of the Electoral College.
Adding to this, of the 50, most states consistently vote for the same party in every election. This means that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump entered the race with a percentage of votes already anticipated to be secure, as many states are steadfast in their support for either the Republican or Democratic parties.
VP picks also have a busy Monday
Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance will campaign in four different swing states today.
Meanwhile, Tim Walz, Harris' pick, is visiting his state of Minnesota before jetting off to Wisconsin and Michigan.
Support from both sides has been huge and celebrity endorsements can swing voters one way or another: respected public figures have huge influence on their fans and their views can often nudge people one way or another.
Kamala‘s huge celeb support has been well documented, with names such as Will Ferrell, LeBron James and someone called Taylor Swift (I haven’t heard of her either) endorsing the Democrat. But what about Trump?
What would a Trump presidency means for vaccines in the US?
There are concerns that Trump might appoint individuals like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Joseph Ladapo to top health positions if he wins the election tomorrow.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long history of promoting anti-vaccine views, despite his claims to the contrary. Kennedy continues to promote the debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism, as well as being very critical of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends childhood vaccines.
If you haven't already sent in your ballot, being prepared to vote is paramount, and knowing whether or not your are eligible is all part of the process.
The USA government website provides the following guidelines for people who can, and cannot, in the 2024 US Presidential election.
Who can vote in the US election?
Are a U.S. citizen (some areas allow non-citizens to vote in local elections only), including:
- U.S. citizens living outside of the United States.
- U.S. citizens who were born abroad and have never lived in the United States.
- Dual citizens living in the United States or abroad
Meet your state’s residency requirements
- You can be experiencing homelessness and still meet these requirements.
Are 18 years old on or before Election Day
- In almost every state, you can register to vote before you turn 18 if you will be 18 by Election Day.
- Some states allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by Election Day to vote in primaries.
Are registered to vote by your state’s voter registration deadline. North Dakota does not require voter registration.
Most banks, including major institutions like JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citibank, will maintain their regular operating hours. Election day is not a federal holiday, which means that the vast majority of businesses, including banks, will remain open as usual.
A busy final day for both candidates
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are launching an intensive series of rallies and media engagements across critical swing states with polling insperable.
Harris will focus her efforts on Pennsylvania, making stops in Allentown, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, underscoring the state's pivotal role in determining the election outcome. Meanwhile, Trump's campaign trail will begin in North Carolina before moving on to Pennsylvania and Michigan.
We'll bring you the best moments from the campaign trail.
Following the 2016 elections, Donald Trump became president of the United States, a position he held from 2017 to 2021. During those years, he promoted new measures such as tax reform, the management of international relations and the centerpiece of his platform, the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.
This last project was one of the most controversial during his time as president, and even after being replaced by President Joe Biden, he continued to insist on the need to finish the wall.
Trump's plans for immigration
Republican candidate Donald Trump has shared several times that he will implement the largest deportation program in the history of the United States, in addition to securing the border, enforcing immigration laws, implementing a deportation program, strict investigation, stopping sanctuary cities, and prioritizing American workers.
What are the candidates' views on immigration?
Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has given the impression of aligning her party’s position closer to that of the Republicans.
The vice president has taken a very enforcement-focused approach, shifting away from programs like DACA that provide legal protections to immigrant children brought to the United States and who have spent more of their lives here.
The vice president had called Donald Trump’s border wall a “vanity project” that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars. However, Harris has included a similar measure in her border security plan. The presidential candidate has proposed filling in strategic sections of the wall along the nearly 2,000-mile southwest border.
New York Times releases final polls
The New York Times and Siena College have released their final polls for the battleground states and found that while Donald Trump has a lead in Arizona, and Pennsylvania and Michigan are essentially tied, Kamala Harris is leading in the remaining four states. However, even in these states where the Democratic nominee has inched ahead of her GOP rival, the races remain close.
Elections are as American as apple pie or hot dogs. Another is coming up soon and will be held on the same day as usual; the Tuesday after the first Monday of November.
Donald Trump lambasts Selzer poll
On the campaign trail this afternoon, Donald Trump attacked Ann Selzer, and the Des Moines Register poll released yesterday showed Kamala Harris was leading in the state.
"By the way, the polls are just as corrupt as the writers out there," said Trump in Pennsylvania.
"One of my enemies put out a poll that I am down in Iowa," is how the candidate described renowned pollster Ann Selzer. However, leaders from the state, including Senator Joni Ernst, told him that he "was killing it."
Election Day is getting closer. With little over 48 hours before US polling stations open, let’s take a closer look at the voting process.
According to a CBS News projection model, without counting the key states, Kamala Harris would be gathering a total of 226 electoral votes, while Donald Trump 219; which places Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as the decisive states for the destiny of the country.
However, the race in the swing states - which do not have a clear voting trend - is a real nailbiter. According to polls by the outlet, this is how support for the candidates in these regions stands as of November 3:
- Pennsylvania: Trump (49%) - Harris (49%)
- Michigan: Trump (50%) - Harris (48%)
- Wisconsin: Trump (50%) - Harris (48%)
- Nevada: Trump (49%) - Harris (49%)
- Georgia: Trump (50%) - Harris (48%)
- Arizona: Trump (50%) - Harris (48%)
- North Carolina: Trump (50%) - Harris (48%)
Two animals take centre stage in the USA every four years as the Republican and Democratic political parties battle it out in the US Presidential elections with the 2024 edition set to be a closely contested affair as both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump loom to become the 47th US President with Trump holding the position from 2017-2021.
The animal mascots that represent the Democrats and Republicans were created over a century ago with color-coding scheme a modern invention.
There are only 22 toss-up races for seats in the US Congress
Democrats and Republicans aren't just contesting control of the White House but also 34 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Whether former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris win, Congress will be there to stymie or support the implementation of their campaign promises.
While there is little doubt about the election outcome for the vast majority of congressional seats which are solidly Democrat or Republican, there are just 22 races that are toss-up according to the Cook Political Report.
Welcome!
Tomorrow, voters will head to the polls to choose between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and we’re here to keep you informed every step of the way.
Both candidates have a busyt schudule as they aim to sweep up the last undecided voters before polling day.