US Elections: In one of the most pivotal elections in U.S. history, millions of Americans turned out to vote as Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump remained locked in a neck-and-neck race. Polls leading up to election day showed a dead heat, with the polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight predicting a shift in favour of Harris. FiveThirtyEight, a key election forecaster, had previously shown Trump as the frontrunner, with simulations indicating Trumps advantage in 53 out of 100 scenarios. However, as voting commenced, Harris pulled ahead by a slim margin of 50 to 49 simulations.The Economists final analysis supported this shift, giving Harris a 56% chance of winning, though the race remains close. Meanwhile, Polymarket, a betting platform, placed Trumps odds of winning at 62.3%, compared to Harriss 37.9%. Political historian Allan Lichtman, renowned for his “13 Keys to the White House” forecasting model, predicted that Harris would secure a historic victory as the first female president and the first U.S. president of mixed African and Asian descent. Its a sign of where America is headed,” Lichtman commented, emphasising the nations growing diversity.Candidates address voters amid tensions over fair voting processOn election day, both candidates appealed to voters in final messages. Harris encouraged voters to turn out, describing Trump as full of vengeance and grievance and focused on personal interests. Trump, who cast his vote near his Mar-a-Lago residence, expressed optimism and a desire to be “very inclusive,” while voicing concerns about potential fraud in the vote-counting process. If its a fair election, I would be the first one to acknowledge it, Trump stated, raising apprehensions that he might contest the results if defeated.Extended voting hours in key swing state after technical malfunctionIn Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, a court granted a request to extend voting hours in Cambria County following a technical glitch. The local board of elections reported a software malfunction in voting machines, which disrupted ballot processing. Cambria, which strongly supported Trump in 2020, will now keep voting open until 10 p.m. local time. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley commended the swift legal response, urging voters to remain patient and stay in line until they cast their ballots.
