US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls in the final race for the White House
by Danielle de Wolfe · LBCLive
By Danielle de Wolfe
Election day has finally arrived, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump putting in a last ditch effort across key swing states, as Americans head to the polls.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Ms Harris spent the run-up to election day in Pennsylvania, delivering her final rousing rally speech that featured guest appearances from Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey and notably, Ricky Martin.
The Puerto Rican came out in support of Harris following controversial slurs made by comic Tony Hinchcliffe, labelling it an 'island of garbage' at a recent Trump rally.
Harris led with a final message of unity in Pennsylvania overnight, telling crowds: "I pledge to listen to people who disagree with me. Because, you see, I don't believe that people who disagree with me are the enemy. I'll give them a seat at the table. That's what real leaders do. That's what strong leaders do."
It comes as Trump made his final rally appearance in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with the Republican candidate claiming he was already ahead by hundreds of thousands of votes.
It comes as the Trump secured major backing from controversial podcaster Joe Rogan during the closing hours of his campaign, ahead of rallies in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, before one final campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
And with the pair separated by a razor-thin margin, 2024 election day is set to be one for the history books.
Follow our live blog for the latest updates and analysis as we head into election day.
You can also join Shelagh Fogarty, Jon Sopel, and our teams across the US for comprehensive election updates and analysis through the night on America Decides. Watch live on Global Player from 10pm on Tuesday.
Trump channels The Apprentice during final rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Mr Trump has accused Ms Harris of "destroying" the US and calls her a "terrible vice president".
During his final Grand Rapids rally, the Republican took to the stage to take swipes at his opponent - and continued to speak almost three hours after the rally first began.
He said: "Kamala, you're horrible at your job.
"You don't know what you're doing. You're a low IQ individual," he says.
He then references his time as host of The Apprentice, saying: "Kamala, you're fired! Get the hell out of here."
Danielle De Wolfe
New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch splits the vote
The first in-person votes have been cast - and declared, in the small New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch.
The small town has a tradition dating back to 1960 in which the town comes out to place their ballots in a wooden box shortly after polls open at midnight.
The town has only six registered voters.
The results were announced just minutes later.
The result? A tie.
Three votes for Trump. Three votes for Harris.
The polls opened at midnight and closed at 12:07 a.m. ET after all voters cast their ballots.
Danielle De Wolfe
Polls ready to open across the US
Election day is finally here, with polls across the US open to voters ahead of what's set to be a nail-biting race for the White House.
The first polls to open will be across the East Coast in Vermont, with certain locations opening at 5 a.m. ET (10am GMT).
It's followed by polling stations across five more states, which are set to open at 6 a.m. ET (11am GMT).
Danielle De Wolfe
'That's what real leaders do': Harris makes final call to US voters in Philadelphia
Standing before the large crowd in Philadelphia, Harris delivered a rousing final campaign speech that centred around unity rather division.
"I am asking for your vote. And here is my pledge to you: As president, I pledge to seek common ground and common-sense solutions to the challenges you face," Harris told the crowd.
"I pledge to listen to those who will be impacted by the decisions I will make. I pledge to listen to experts. I pledge to listen to people who disagree with me.
Because, you see, I don't believe that people who disagree with me are the enemy. I'll give them a seat at the table.
"That's what real leaders do. That's what strong leaders do."
Danielle De Wolfe
US election day arrives - with swings states set to be pivotal
Voters across 50 US states are poised to cast their ballot over the course of today - that's if they haven't already.
As mentioned, some 81 million Americans have already cast their ballots.
It's been a hard-fought US election campaign, with a handful of states set to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2024 US election.
Experts believe seven key states hold the key to the White House - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Danielle De Wolfe
Early voting passes 81 million mark
Early voting in America has now surpassed 81 million, reports the University of Florida Election Lab.
So far, voters have cast 81,379,684 early ballots, including:
44,402,375 in-person votes
36,977,311 returned mail ballots
This year’s early voting total falls short of the 101.5 million early ballots cast in 2020, when COVID concerns kept many away from polling places.
However, it’s still well above the early voting numbers from 2016 (47.2 million) and 2012 (46.2 million).
Kit Heren
Trump wraps up lengthy penultimate rally in Pittsburgh
Donald Trump spoke for nearly two hours at his penultimate rally in Pittsburgh in a bid to sway voters in the key battleground state.
He spoke at length about numerous topics.
The former president began with one of his favourite talking points: crowd sizes. He compared the size of his rally to his opponent's, who was also campaigning in Pittsburgh, and promised to "launch the most extraordinary economic boom the world has ever seen" if he is elected.
"If you vote for Kamala, you will have four more years of misery, failure and disaster. Our country may never recover," he warned.
"My message to Americans tonight is simple: we do not have to live this way. We don't, and we won't," he added, calling Harris "a disaster".
"We do not have to settle for weakness, incompetence, decline and decay,"
"With your vote tomorrow we can fix every single problem our country faces and lead America, and indeed the whole world, to new heights of glory."
Trump has one final rally scheduled tonight in Philadelphia with hours to go until the election.
Kit Heren
Kamala Harris finishes penultimate rally as Katy Perry takes the stage
“Momentum is on our side” Kamala Harris said at her penultimate rally in Pittsburgh.
She has not named Donald Trump in her last few rallies, but does contrast herself with him.
“Instead of stewing on an enemies list I will spend everyday working on my to-do list” she said, adding “ours if not a fight against something - it is a fight for something.”
“I will listen to people who disagree with me” and “I will give them a seat at the table” she added.
Harris has now wrapped up her penultimate rally in Pittsburgh, where Katy Perry took the stage after Harris stopped speaking.
Perry sang a mashup of songs starting with her 2013 hit, “Dark Horse.” Before singing a piece of her 2010 song “Part of Me,” she shouted, “It’s my body, and my choice,” and “We’re almost there!”
Harris will be joined by Lady Gaga and Oprah at her last rally before the election, with only hours to go.
Kit Heren
Podcaster Joe Rogan endorses Donald Trump
Famous podcaster Joe Rogan has endorsed former President Trump on the eve of the election.
Rogan made the endorsement in a post on X to promote his new podcast episode with Trump supporter Elon Musk.
Rogan claims that Musk makes the "most compelling case for Trump you'll hear"
"For the record, yes, that's an endorsement of Trump," Rogan says.
Joe Rogan's podcast, which Trump appeared on recently, is the most listened to in the United States.
Kit Heren
Poll worker accused of making bomb threat against himself and other election staff from made-up voter
In a bizarre development, a poll worker in Georgia is accused of writing a letter threatening a bomb attack on himself and poll workers from a made-up voter.
Nicholas Wimbish, 25, of Milledgeville, Georgia, is said to have had an argument with a voter.
He is then accused of writing a letter threatening violence against poll workers, drafted in such a way as to make it appear as if it came from the voter.
The letter, which contained many unpleasant threats, concluded with a handwritten note, “PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe.”
Kit Heren