US Election 2020 highlights: In-person voting has begun in some parts of the United States. Democratic Party candidate and former vice president Joe Biden is taking on Republican Party’s nominee and incumbent President Donald Trump. California Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence are their respective running mates. Voters were urged to vote early, especially through mail-in ballots, to avoid queues amid the coronavirus pandemic. More than 99.5 million early votes have been cast so far. Additionally, about 28.2 million mail ballots are yet to be returned to polling authorities. As a result, over 100 million votes would have been cast and recorded even before Election Day. Voters would have already cast more than 72.2 percent of the total votes counted in the 2016 presidential election. But counting of mail ballots is more tedious, and that may delay the result.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
AP tally shows huge surge in early voting
The latest tally of early voting in the U.S. shows that almost 102 million Americans cast their votes before Election Day, an eye-popping total that represents 73 percentof the total turnout of the 2016 presidential election.
The Associated Press tally reveals that the early vote in several states, including hotly-contested Texas and Arizona, has already exceeded the total vote of four years ago.
Early voting — whether in-person or by mail-in or absentee ballot — has swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic as voters have sought the safety and convenience it offers. The greatest gains have been witnessed in Kentucky, where almost 13 times as many voters cast their ballots early as in 2016.
US Election 2020 | 10 key states that could determine who wins the election
Here's a look at key states that could determine which candidate between US President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden secures the presidency.... Read More
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
'Winning is easy. Losing is never easy', says Donald Trump at campaign headquarters
Donald Trump visitedhis campaign headquarters where he predicted his victory butacknowledged that he could lose.“I think we’re going to have a great night, but it’s politics and it’s elections and you never know,” Trump said.
He said his campaign was doing well in states like Florida, Arizona and Texas. He noted the importance of winning Pennsylvania.
"Winning is easy. Losing is never easy,” he said. “Not for me it's not," he said.
US Election results 2020 LIVE Updates | US 'entitled to know' winner on election day: Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again sought to sow doubt over the counting of ballots beyond election day, saying the country was "entitled" to know who won on the day of the vote.
"You have to have a date, and the date happens to be November 3," he said during a visit to Republican National Committee offices in Arlington, Virginia.
"And we should be entitled to know who won on November 3." (AFP)
US Election results 2020 LIVE Updates | FBI is investigating mysterious robocalls - Homeland Security official
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into a spate of mysterious robocalls urging people to stay home on Election Day, a Department of Homeland Security official said. The FBI did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
U.S. state and local officials have been raising the alarm over at least two separate automated call campaigns, whose origins and exact purpose are unclear. Experts who spoke to Reuters say they are mystified by one of the campaigns, which tells people to remain home but does not explicitly mention voting.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | North Carolina State Board of Elections to meet to consider extending polls at some locations
The North Carolina State Board of Elections will meet at 1 pm ET to consider extending polling hours at various locations, CNN has reported. According to CNN, the locations include onepolling place in Guilford County,one polling location in Cabarrus County, and two locations in Sampson County.
According to an official, one of the reasons for the extension--- which would mean that the reporting of results statewide would be delayed--- is poll workers arriving late.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi says election about 'the soul of America'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she’s “absolutely certain” that Democrats will “solidly hold” onto their House majority.
On an Election Day conference call with reporters, the California Democrat said “this election is about nothing less than taking back the soul of America, whether our nation will follow the voices of fear or whether we will choose hope.” (AP)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | U.S. TV networks prepare to deliver results of an unprecedented election
U.S. television news networks are preparing for an election night like no other, as a divided nation chooses the next president amid a global pandemic, with more voters casting their ballots early and by mail than ever before.
In this year's contest between Republican U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, TV networks are facing heightened pressure to report election results accurately and without unwarranted speculation.
Among the challenges facing the nation - and the networks - are a president stoking fears of ballot fraud, a deeply divided electorate and the specter of a prolonged vote count, which raises the potential for protests, violence and lawsuits.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Bernie Sanders in a tweet:
This is not just an election between Trump and Biden. This election is about democracy vs. authoritarianism – and democracy must win. The first way to do that is to get out and vote in overwhelming numbers and defeat Trump – the most dangerous president in American history.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Short lines and calm prevail at U.S. polls early on Election Day
Wearing face masks and standing spaced apart, Americans waited at polling stations early on Tuesday to choose a president on an Election Day marked so far by orderliness and short lines, even as major cities braced for potential unrest.
The masks and boarded-up stores in many city centers were reminders of two of the issues shaping 2020's polarizing elections, with COVID-19 still ravaging parts of the country after a summer of sometimes violence-marred protests against police brutality and racism.
Poll workers guessed the short lines in many places were due to an unprecedented wave of early voting, with more than 90 million ballots cast before Election Day. (Reuters)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | More than 100 million voted early in US election: watchdog
More than 100 million Americans cast their ballots early before Tuesday's Election Day, according to the US Elections Project watchdog, a record figure partly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ballots, which were mailed in, deposited in drop boxes or cast at polling stations ahead of Tuesday, represent more than 72 percent of the total number of ballots cast in the 2016 presidential election, according to the tally by the watchdog based at the University of Florida. (AFP)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Mysterious robocalls - but no evidence of U.S. election hacking
Voters in several U.S. states have received mysterious robocalls urging them to stay home on Election Day, according to state and party officials.
But midday Eastern time - with more than half the expected number of American ballots already cast - there was little sign of digital interference long dreaded by those charged with keeping the vote safe.
US Election 2020 results LIVE Updates | Why some businesses are boarded up in the US as elections are underway
After a summer of nationwide protests against police violence and racism, businesses in several major U.S. cities were again boarded up as a precaution against unrest, an extraordinary sight on Election Day in the United States.
In New York City, the Empire State Building, the Macy’s department store, and the skyscraper that houses the Trump-favored Fox News channel were among buildings that were boarded up.
On Rodeo Drive, one of the most expensive shopping streets in California’s Beverley Hills, staff stripped the display windows at Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels of their jewels.“Hopefully this is all for nothing,” Kathy Gohari, vice president of the Rodeo Drive Committee, the merchants association, said.
The fondness among some Trump supporters to form honking, traffic-jamming caravans of vehicles has spread to New York and beyond, and more such events were planned for Election Day. Some election security experts worry the caravans could break laws, intimidate voters or spiral into violent confrontations. (With inputs from Reuters)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Control of U.S. Senate at play in 14 races as voters head to polls
Voters will decide whether Republicans or Democrats control the U.S. Senate in a Tuesday election battle spanning 14 competitive races, though the final outcome may not be clear for some time.
Republicans currently hold a majority of 53 seats in the 100-seat Senate. But Democrats are favored by three nonpartisan U.S. elections forecasters - the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections -- to emerge with a Senate majority. That could lead to a new era in U.S. politics, if their party also captures the White House and holds onto the U.S. House of Representatives.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
During his visit to his childhood hometown of Scranton,Pennsylvania, Joe Biden signed one of the living room walls in his childhood home, writing, "From this house to the White House with the grace of God. Joe Biden 11-3-2020".
US Election 2020 results LIVE Updates | Facebook vows vigilance on Election Day misinformation efforts
Facebook pledged real-time monitoring of Election Day misinformation and manipulation efforts as voters began in-person balloting across the United States.
Along with other social platforms, the company has promised to stem misinformation around the election, including premature claims of victory, seeking to avoid a repeat of 2016 manipulation efforts.
"Our Election Operations Center will continue monitoring a range of issues in real time -- including reports of voter suppression content," said a Facebook statement posted on Twitter.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | What about voters who are infected with COVID-19?
Even as the high-stakes election is underway, we should not forget the grim reality of COVID-19 pandemic as the disease continues to spread in the US. So how does someone who has been infected with the virus vote?
According tothe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the patients should let the election officials know about their diagnosis and wear a mask. They should also stay 1.8m away from other voters and officials and wash hands before and after voting.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
More than 2.5 million mail-in and absentee votes have been returned,Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar has announced, according to CNN.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | First Lady Melania Trump votes in Palm Beach, Florida
First Lady Melania Trump has cast her in-person vote atthe Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Joe Biden
stops off in Scranton
Democratic nominee Joe Biden visited his childhood home in Scranton, a stop he makes every time he visits the town he left as a child. He has made friends with the woman who purchased the home from the family decades ago and still lives there. He introduced his grandchildren to the homeowner on her front porch and then entered for a visit.
“It’s good to be home,” Biden said to dozens of supporters gathered in front of the home.“You’re going to win, Joe,” yelled one supporter across the street.
The relatively low-key stops in Scranton - at an event with a couple dozen volunteers and a quiet visit to the house he lived in as a child as well as Senator Casey’s family home - contrasted with Donald Trump’s appearance in Scranton yesterday.There, Trump spoke to more than 5,000 supporters at an outdoor rally. (Reuters)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
Till now, 510,076 Nebraska absentee ballots have been returned, the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office said, according to CNN. That is a 91 percent return rate.
US Election results 2020 LIVE Updates |
Federal authoritiesmonitoring vote, say no major problems seen
Federal authorities are monitoring voting and any threats to the election across the country at an operations center just outside Washington, D.C., run by the cyber-security component of the Department of Homeland Security. Officials there said there were no major problems detectedbut urged the public to be wary and patient.
U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Christopher Krebs said from the center there was "some early indication of system disruption,” but he did not elaborate. He says he has "confidence that the vote is secure, the count is secure and the results will be secure." (AP)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Here's a quick recap of what has happened so far:
>> New York, New Jersey and Virginia were among the first states to open polling stations to voters.
>> Trump downplayed allegations that he planned to prematurely declare victory.
>> Joe Biden began the Election Day by visiting his son Beau's grave in Delaware.
>> Biden wins all five votes in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Would we or won't we? All about the all-important election results and if we will get to know them today:
Barack Obama’s historic election as the United States president in 2008, his re-election in 2012 and the then-Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s shock defeat toDonald Trumpin 2016 had one thing in common — the outcome of the presidential race was clear on the election night.
Unlike in India where there are a few days between the last phase of polling in the general election and the counting day, votes in the United States are counted on election day as soon as the polling process concludes. Thus, in most cases, the winner is known within a few hours or by dawn the next day.
However, we may not see that this time.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Here are some of the highlights from President Donald Trump's interview with "Fox and Friends":
>> Trump said thathe believes his large rally crowds during his fast-paced weeks of campaigning are the “ultimate poll” and translate into a lot of votes for his reelection.
>> Hedownplayed allegations that he planned to prematurely declare victory.
>> Trumppredictedthat he would register big victories in key states such as Florida and Arizona.
>> He also reportedly said that US is the "most difficult country to deal with", according to BBC.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | '
We can overcome these crises, we can take our country back', says Joe Biden
"We can overcome these crises. We can take our country back. We can win the battle for the soul of the nation. It all begins today. Confirm your polling place at http://iwillvote.com/locate and go vote. Let’s do this — together," Joe Biden has tweeted.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | What does the US Election result mean for India?
For many Indians, the American election is personal.
The prospect that vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris — who has Indian origins — could occupy the second-highest political office in the U.S. has caught the imagination of millions of people in the world’s largest democracy.
But for India's government, the election is all about the recent military and diplomatic convergence between the two countries to counter their shared rival China.
“No matter who wins the election, the trajectory of the U.S.-India relationship will remain favorable,” said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Wilson Center. “There’s not much that Trump and Biden agree on, but India policy is one of the rare convergences.” (With inputs from AP)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Wall Street set to jump on Joe Biden victory bets, stimulus hopes
Wall Street's main indexes were set to jump at the open as investors bet on a Joe Biden victory followed by a swift deal on more fiscal stimulus after one of the most divisive presidential races in U.S. history.
After slumping to five-week lows last week, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq began November on a strong footing as the consistent lead for Democratic presidential nominee Biden in national opinion polls raised hopes of a bigger stimulus package as well as more infrastructure spending post-election.
Democrats are also favored to emerge from 14 hotly contested U.S. Senate races with full control of Congress in the election, although final results from at least five of those contests may not be available for days, and in some cases, months.
US Election results 2020 LIVE Updates | Donald Trump calls 'big rally crowds' the 'ultimate poll'
President Donald Trump says he believes his large rally crowds during his fast-paced weeks of campaigning are the “ultimate poll” and translate into a lot of votes for his reelection.
Trump told Fox News Channel's “Fox & Friends” he will spend Election Day making phone calls to people who have been loyal to him and will go to his campaign headquarters in suburban Virginia to thank the staff.
Trump also says he understands why businesses are boarding up their storefronts but thinks it’s very sad they feel the need to do it.
Election Results USA 2020 LIVE Updates |
Explained: Why the result may swing from ‘red’ to ‘blue’ as counting progresses
It may not end up the way it started. That’s what a number of psephologists are claiming ahead of the 2020 United States presidential election result.
Experts are predicting that the Republican Party candidate and incumbent President Donald Trump could lead in the initial hours of counting on November 3, only for Democratic Party candidate and former vice president Joe Biden to outpace his rival in the days to follow. This is likely to happen in battleground states that have seen high early voting, especially via mail ballots.
Election results USA LIVE Updates | Here are some of the key developments today:
>>Joe Biden wins al five votes in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
>> Donald Trump, in an interview, says he will "have a victory".
>> Polls open in New York, New Jersey and Vermont.
>> Polling opens in key states of Ohio, North Carolina and West Virginia.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | 'We'll have a victory, but only when there's a victory,' says Donald Trump in interview
During his interview with "Fox and Friends", Donald Trump downplayed allegations that he planned to prematurely declare victory Tuesday evening before enough of the vote is tallied to determine the winner.
"I think we'll have victory, but only when there's victory," he said.
"Theres no reason to play games," he added.
US Election 2020 Electoral votes Updates | Key battleground states with their Electoral votes to watch out for:
Considering that the polls are expected to be close, here are some of the key states with their electoral votes to watch out for during the polling and then the subsequent counting:
Florida: 29
Pennsylvania: 20
Georgia: 16
Michigan: 16
North Carolina: 15
Arizona: 11
Minnesota: 10
Wisconsin: 10
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
Meanwhile, Donald Trump's opponent, Joe Biden, remembered his sonBeau, who passed away in 2015.Biden spent time at a family gravesite where his deceased son is buried.
Biden was close with his son and delayed a run for office in 2016 as he mourned his death at age 46 of cancer in 2015. Biden wrote the 2017 book "Promise Me, Dad" about his relationship with his son, including his wish shortly before dying that Biden would promise him that he would be okay and, as Biden interpreted it, remain engaged in public life even after Beau's death.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
On US election day, Donald Trump has said that he feels 'very good' about his chances, news agency AFP has reported.
He also predictedthat he would register big victories in key states such as Florida and Arizona.
"We feel very good," a hoarse-voiced Trump told Fox News in a phone interview. "I think we'll have victory."
Trump said he expected victory in all the key states that will decide the election.
"We think we are winning Texas very big. We think we are winning Florida very big. We think we are winning Arizona very big," he said.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates |
The US economy under Donald Trump: By the numbers
Prior to the coronavirus, the US economy was on strong footing, propelled by low unemployment, bargain basement borrowing rates and healthy consumer spending.
Given this backdropat the start of 2020, US President Donald Trump seemed headed towards a second term in the White House.
But the US economy has suffered a brutal blow from Covid-19, forcing businesses nationwide to close their doors, and the damage is apparent in leading economic benchmarks.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | How Donald Trump and Joe Biden plan to spend election day
According to the BBC, while incumbent President Donald Trump will spend the election day at the White House giving interviews and is also planning to host a campaign party there.
Joe Biden, meanwhile, will hold vote mobilisation events inScranton, his childhood hometownand in Philadelphia. Then he will head to his current hometown ofDelaware.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | These states will play a crucial role in deciding a winner:
A close contest seems to be on cards as Americans line up to vote and choose a President. Some analysts have predicted a nail-biter which may go on for days. There are, however, some key states which will play a crucial role in deciding the winner. These states include:
Florida: Has 29 Electoral votes.Florida has no-excuse absentee voting. Election officials can begin scanning ballots more than three weeks before Election Day, but results cannot be generated until after polls are closed. All ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted.
Georgia:Has 16 Electoral votes.Georgia has no-excuse absentee voting. Ballots must be received by clerks by the close of polls on Election Day. Ballots can be opened and scanned on receipt, but they cannot be tallied until after the polls close.
NewHampshire:Has four Electoral votes.New Hampshire state officials have said all voters are able to cast an absentee ballot if they have concerns about COVID-19, and the ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots could be pre-processed in some jurisdictions beginning on Oct. 29, but not counted until the polls have closed.
Ohio:Has 18 Electoral votes.Ohio has no-excuse absentee voting. Ballots could be scanned, but not tallied, as early as Oct. 6. Absentee ballots are the first to be counted on election night.
Michigan:Has 16 Electoral votes.Michigan has no-excuse absentee voting. Ballots must arrive at clerks’ offices by the close of polls on Election Day. Some densely populated jurisdictions in the state, such as Detroit, began sorting absentee ballots on Monday, but the vast majority did not. Clerks can begin scanning and counting absentee ballots at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | What makes this election harder to predict? And why could it possibly take days for a clear result to be out?
The coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented number of ballots cast early, the lack of consistency about how these votes will be counted, and ongoing legal battles have made the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election one of the hardest to predict.
Which is why, as Americans head to polling stations on Tuesday, the question is not just whether Republican President Donald Trump will win a second four-year term or be defeated by his Democratic rival Joe Biden, but also when the result will be known.
The latest opinion polls show the race is close enough in the battleground states to swing the outcome to either party, even as Biden leads Trump in national polls. Some of these states do not begin to count early votes until after polling stations close, and some allow ballots that arrive after Election Day to be included as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3. If the presidential race depends on the outcomes in these states, America could be waiting for days. (Inputs from Reuters)
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Nation by nation, the world watches Election Day in the US
For countries around the planet, the presidency of Donald Trump in its first term has been, it is safe to say, a singular experience to watch. Now that an inflection point in Trump’s time in office is at hand with Tuesday’s U.S. election, what’s at stake if his presidency ends — or if it continues? Nation by nation, how is Election Day in the United States being watched, considered, assessed?
China:
It’s all about trade for China — and trade is about hitting economic growth targets at home and being a technology leader abroad.
The stormy commercial relationship between the world’s two biggest economies since President Donald Trump took office is front and center in China’s view of the U.S. election. While a win for Democratic challenger Joe Biden offers no guarantee of relief, Beijing hopes to avoid a further deterioration and see negotiations put on an even keel.
ThePhilippines
The next U.S. president could reshape the country’s relationship with President Rodrigo Duterte, who leads a key American treaty ally in Asia — but presents a dilemma.
Duterte has been regarded by international watchdogs as a human rights calamity for his notorious anti-drug crackdown that has left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead. He has been accused of undermining one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies — an American legacy.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | 'Vote like you freedoms depend on it', says Donald Trump Jr.
"Vote like your freedoms depend on it... because they do! This election is Freedom vs Marxism. Choose wisely and vote Trump," tweeted Donald Trump Jr.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | 'It all comes down to this', tweets Joe Biden
Democraticpresidential nominee Joe Biden has tweeted an upbeat video with a caption that says, 'It all comes down to this. Go vote.' Watch the video, reportedlysoundtracked by Too Many Zooz tune Warriors, here.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Key timings to look out for in battleground states:
It's true, there is nothing set in stone when it comes to this time's election. But keeping an eye out on some of the key battleground statesmight provide a hint about where the contest is heading.
Here are some of the key timings to look out for according to CNN:
7 p.m. ET is when the polls close in Georgia, one of the“perennial” swing states.
7:30 p.m.ET is when the last polls close inNorth Carolina and Ohio--- the latter considered a bellwether state.
8:00 p.m. ET is when the last polls close inFlorida and Pennsylvania--- two key, perhaps the most important, battleground states.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | What are some of the likely scenarios?
While the election is being touted as a close one, with a nail-biting finish likely on cards, here are some of the scenarios as laid out by the BBCwhich could play out as the day goes on, the polling continues and the counting starts:
Joe Biden wins comfortably:Polls have predicted a Biden victory, with afinal Reuters/Ipsos national poll showingBiden with an outright majority among all likely voters: 52% said they were backing the Democratic nominee while 44% said they were voting for the Republican Trump.
Donald Trump wins:It could also be that the polls are wrong, like they reportedly were in 2016, and Trump is re-elected to the Oval Office.
Biden wins by a landslide:A landslide win for Biden could make things easier in terms of legalities in the coming days, seeing as the Trump campaign has promised a court fight to vote counts.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Special prayers held at Kamala Harris’ ancestral village for Democrat win
It's not just the US that is waiting with bated breath for the election result. Here in India, the stakes are high too. You can find out more about the why part here.
As for the residents ofPainganadu village in Thiruvarur district, things are more personal.The village, located about 350 km to the South of Tamil Nadu's capital Chennai, would likely not have bothered about the outcome of the US elections 2020, had it not been for Kamala Harris.This is her maternal grandfather PV Gopalan’s ancestral village.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | 'Mask up and find your polling place' says Kamala Harris
"Election Day is here, and polling places across the country are starting to open. Mask up and find your polling place at http://IWillVote.com," tweets Kamala Harris.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Prominent Indian-Americans among 1,100 officials, business leaders endorsing Joe Biden-Kamala Harris
As the race to the White House enteredits final lap, over 1,100 prominent members of the Asian-American community, including Indian-American elected officials, artists, business and community leaders have endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris.
The list of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) endorsing Biden for President and Harris for Vice President includes prominent Indian-Americans who are serving as elected officials as well as those from the fields of healthcare, business and arts.
US Election 2020 LIVE Updates | Celebrity endorsements for Joe Biden and Donald Trump:
There were celebrity endorsements too. On November 2, whileLil’ Pump, a rapper, graced Trump's final rally in Michigan, the Biden campaign managed to pull in John Legend and Common with Vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris in Philadelphia and Lady Gaga with Biden inPittsburgh.
In recent days, top American celebrities have thrown their weight behind one of the two candidates.Taylor Swift, Madonna, Cardi B, Tom Hanks and George Clooney have all supported the Democratic ticket, while stars likeIsaiah Washington, Lil Wayne and James Woods have announced support to Trump's campaign.
