US election 2024: Voters head to polls to pick new president

The UK prides itself on having a "special relationship" with the US. Sometimes this is easy to maintain, with strong bonds or even friendships between the respective leaders, see Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, or Tony Blair and George W. Bush in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. 

Sometimes it's harder — there were awkward moments between Trump and Theresa May, such as when he tried to hold her hand on their way to a joint press conference.

A second Trump presidency would be a challenge for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Labour has always been much closer to the Democrats: from some 100 Labour officials helping the Democrats' campaign to Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously calling Trump "Neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath."

Starmer, the current Labour leader, did recently stress the "good, constructive discussion" that he had with Trump when they met for dinner in September, and said he would work with "whoever the American people return as their president."

Polls have already opened in several US eastern states, with polling stations due to stay open until at least 1:00 a.m. CET (0000 GMT).

Voters began arriving at polling stations in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, among other states. 

Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina are among this election's seven swing states, largely expected to determine who the next president of the United States will be.

The closing time of polls varies by state, and the US spans several timezones. The last polls on the mainland, in California, close at 8 p.m. local time (Wednesday 0500 CET, or 0400 GMT), while in Hawaii and Alaska polls stay open a couple of hours longer.

Some past US presidential elections saw result projections by the media on the same day or the next morning. 

But in a head-to-head race, media outlets might wait longer to declare a winner in battleground states, and the announcement of the final official results may take even more time. 

According to electoral law, any discrepancies in states must be resolved by December 11.

On December 17, the electors will meet in their state capitals to formally cast their votes for president and vice president.

On January 6, 2025, Congress will convene in Washington to count the electoral votes and officially confirm the winner of the election.

On January 20, the inauguration ceremony for the president takes place in Washington.

Read more on what happens on Election Day and beyond.

In the lead up to Election Day, unfounded claims of voter fraud and alleged loopholes in the voting system have gained traction on social media.

A recent wave of viral posts assert that noncitizens vote in the US, implying that US voting laws are too lax to prevent this.

"I am German, but since voting in America doesn't require an ID, I made a road trip and voted a total of 86 times in several swing states," reads a tweet that was viewed about 4.5 million times in three days. 

DW fact checked the post and found it was false. Read more on how we reached the conclusion. 

Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes — more than any other battleground state. 

The eastern state is suffering more from the rising cost of living than most other places, making the economy top of the list of its voters' concerns. 

At the same time, fracking has made it the country's second-biggest natural gas producer after Texas. Trump has long promoted fracking. Harris previously called for a ban but she is now keeping options open, albeit with stricter regulations.

The state hosted the only live debate between Harris and Trump on September 10, and it was where Trump was subject to an assassination attempt in July.  

Biden won the state in 2020.

DW takes a look at the Electoral College, the body that determines who gets elected president of the United States.

 

Residents in the southern Indian ancestral village of Harris held prayers for her victory on Election Day. 

Harris' maternal grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, was born over a century ago in the village of Thulasendrapuram in what is now Tamil Nadu state.

Outside the temple, a large banner wishes "the daughter of the land" success in the election.

On Monday evening, Harris spent the last day of campaigning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she seemed confident to win.

"The momentum is on our side. We will win," Harris told the crowd. "Just one more day in the most consequential election of our lifetimes and the momentum is one our side. This could be one of the closest races in history — every single vote matters."

Harris, 60, spoke at the famous steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the movie "Rocky" was shot. She called herself the underdog like Rocky, who was ready to "climb to victory."

The event featured some A-list celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey and Jon Bon Jovi. 

Also on the last day of campaigning, Harris' rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, saw celebrities like Cedric the Entertainer, Katy Perry and Andra Day.

On Monday, Trump held rallies in the swing states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

In his final campaign speech, Trump mused that god may have saved him from an assassin’s bullet so that he could become president, adding that he has a 95% chance of winning.

If elected, he said he would end inflation, deport irregular migrants and impose tariffs on goods entering the United States from Mexico and Canada. 

He also promised the "four greatest years in the history of the country."

His speeches at each rally also involved false claims about voter fraud and migrants committing crimes.

Trump called for the death penalty for migrants who kill US citizens or law enforcement officers. 

"I am hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer," he told a crowd at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Trump, 78, has consistently held an anti-immigrant rhetoric during his campaign.

In the days leading up to Election Day, Trump and his allies, who believe the 2020 election was "stolen," have been escalating allegations of voter fraud. 

"They are fighting so hard to steal this damn thing," he said in Pennsylvania on Sunday. "We should have one-day voting and paper ballots." 

Besides the presidential election, Americans will also vote for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, the upper and lower houses of US Congress, among other things.

DW looks at what other votes are set to occur on 5 November.

Trump and Harris both campaigned in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania on the eve of the presidential election.

The northeastern state has 19 electoral votes, making it the biggest prize among the seven battleground states in the US. Either Trump or Harris will need at least 270 electoral votes to become the next US president.

Speaking during the final hours of her campaign, Harris promised to be a "president for all Americans" if elected.

"The race is not over," she said, acknowledging the tight battle for the White House. "Make no mistake, we will win," she added.

Trump spoke at a rally in the city of Reading on Monday evening, where he criticized incumbent President Joe Biden's administration on its economic performance.

"What a shame, what they've done to our country. They've destroyed our country, but we're going to get it back, and fast. We're a nation in decline, but that will not be long, believe me. And after four years of economic suffering, we will create the greatest economic boom the world has ever seen." 

Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania judge has decided to allow billionaire Elon Musk to continue giving away $1 million (€900,000) every day to registered swing state voters and NATO chief Mark Rutte insisted the military alliance will "stay united" regardless of who ends up in the White House.

sdi/ab (Reuters, AP, DPA, AFP)