Millions cast their votes in US elections poised to reshape the country’s future. The contest pitted former President Donald Trump against vice president Kamala Harris, who could make history as the nation’s first female president.
With polls closing in pivotal battleground states like Georgia, this high-stakes race witnessed a flood of voter turnout as the nation chose between two vastly different visions and temperaments for leadership.
Throughout Election Day, Americans continued to line up to vote, adding to the staggering 84 million early ballots already cast. This year’s election sees the economy, immigration, and the very foundation of democracy as top issues driving voters to the polls.
Both Trump and Harris claimed early victories in their party strongholds, with Trump securing traditionally Republican states and Harris winning in reliably Democratic ones. Meanwhile, Americans cast their ballots in a high-stakes election, setting a clear choice for the nation’s future.
As the polls closed in critical battleground states—Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Nevada—results remained too close to call. These fiercely contested states are expected to be pivotal in determining the outcome, with both candidates’ paths to victory hinging on how these swing states ultimately vote.
US election results: Full coverage
Donald Trump wins first swing state North Carolina
Donald Trump secured victory in North Carolina’s crucial electoral contest on Tuesday. The former president claimed the state’s 16 electoral votes by defeating his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris.
Despite the Democrats’ substantial campaign investments, door-to-door outreach efforts and Harris’s public gatherings, they failed to overturn Trump’s previous successes in the state, where he had emerged victorious in both 2016 and 2020.
Trump wins Idaho, Iowa
Trump secured Idaho’s four electoral votes, marking his third consecutive victory in this reliably red state, where Republican presidential nominees have consistently won over 60% of the vote in recent elections, according to Associated Press.
Meanwhile, Trump also claimed Iowa’s six electoral votes, reinforcing his appeal among Republicans in a state that once leaned as a swing state. Iowa’s decisive shift toward the GOP highlights Trump’s enduring influence and solid support base within the party.
Harris wins California, Washington
Kamala Harris secured California’s 54 electoral votes on Tuesday, the largest haul in the presidential election. Her victory in the solidly Democratic state, where she once served as US senator and attorney general, came as no surprise.
Harris also won Washington’s 12 electoral votes, defeating former President Donald Trump in a state where he lacks broad support. Washington has consistently favored Democratic candidates, with its last Republican win dating back to Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Trump secures victory in Texas, 4 more states
Donald Trump secured his third straight victory in Texas during Tuesday’s election, Associated Press said, earning 40 electoral votes. The state’s electoral count increased by two following the 2020 population census.
In Ohio, Trump achieved his third consecutive win, besting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and claiming the state’s 17 electoral votes. Trump also won in Wyoming, Louisiana.
Harris wins Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois
Vice president Kamala Harris secured key Democratic strongholds in the 2024 election, claiming electoral votes from Colorado, the District of Columbia, and Illinois. Colorado, once a swing state, awarded its 10 electoral votes to Harris.
In the District of Columbia, Harris easily won the capital’s three electoral votes. Known for its strong Democratic leanings, DC has consistently supported Democratic candidates and often clashed with Republican figures, notably former President Donald Trump.
Harris also won Illinois, gaining the state’s 19 electoral votes. As the birthplace of former President Barack Obama, Illinois has been a Democratic stronghold since 1992, consistently favoring Democratic presidential candidates.
Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi secures victory
Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic Representative, secured another term in the US House representing Illinois through Tuesday’s election. Having first entered Congress in 2016, he currently serves as the ranking Democratic member on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
A legal professional with education from Harvard University, Krishnamoorthi previously served in various state positions, including as deputy state treasurer.
Sarah McBride to be first transgender person in US Congress
Sarah McBride, a Democratic state senator from Delaware, achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday by becoming the first openly transgender individual to secure a position in the US House of Representatives.
The election results showed McBride securing a decisive victory against her Republican opponent, John Whalen III. US media outlets declared her the winner as she maintained a substantial lead with approximately two-thirds of the votes tallied.
Constitutional amendment that protects abortion fails in Florida
The proposed constitutional amendment aimed at safeguarding abortion rights in Florida did not succeed on Tuesday, falling short of the required 60% approval mark.
Florida has become the initial state where voters rejected an abortion rights protection initiative since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade in 2022.
Kamala Harris wins New York
Vice president Kamala Harris clinched victory in New York’s presidential race on Tuesday, securing the state’s 28 electoral votes. New York has remained a Democratic stronghold in every presidential election since its support for Ronald Reagan in the 1984 landslide.
Former President Donald Trump has continued to face challenges in gaining significant support in his home state.
Read also: Why early trends might not be the best indicator of who would win elections
Donald Trump wins Arkansas, South and North Dakota
Former President Donald Trump clinched victories in Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota on Tuesday, securing their combined twelve electoral votes. Arkansas, with six electoral votes, stayed firmly in the GOP’s grasp, backed by prominent state Republicans like Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Trump’s decisive wins in both South Dakota and North Dakota, each awarding three electoral votes, reflect the strong Republican hold on these states, where conservative values and traditions continue to dominate. South Dakota hasn’t swung Democratic since Lyndon B Johnson’s 1964 win, and North Dakota remains a steadfast red state, rooted in its agriculture and energy sectors.
Blunt Rochester to become first woman, Black person to represent Delaware in US Senate
Lisa Blunt Rochester secured victory over Republican Eric Hansen in Delaware’s US Senate election on November 7.
Making history, Blunt Rochester will serve as Delaware’s first female and first Black senator. The Senate has previously had only three Black women representatives, with two being elected and one receiving an appointment.
Donald Trump wins Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma
Former President Donald Trump secured victories in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Florida on Tuesday, adding to his tally in the presidential race against Democratic vice president Kamala Harris.
In Oklahoma, where a Democrat hasn’t won since 1964, Trump claimed the state’s seven electoral votes with ease, maintaining the state’s longstanding Republican streak. Tennessee also remained firmly in Trump’s corner, delivering 11 electoral votes. Trump had previously won the state by substantial margins in both 2016 and 2020, and his influence helped Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty secure their seats in past elections.
Meanwhile, Florida, once a key swing state, gave Trump its 30 electoral votes for the third consecutive election. The Sunshine State has been shifting steadily towards the Republican Party, solidifying Trump’s path to victory in the state once again.
Harris wins Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut
Vice president Kamala Harris secured Maryland and its 10 electoral votes on Tuesday, solidifying support in this predominantly Democratic state known for its high concentration of federal employees near Washington, DC.
Harris also claimed Massachusetts, where Democratic presidential candidates have enjoyed uninterrupted victories since 1984, when the state last backed Republican Ronald Reagan.
In Connecticut, Harris maintained the state’s Democratic leaning, capturing seven more electoral votes as voters extended their tradition of favoring Democratic candidates for a ninth consecutive presidential election.
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Trump wins Indiana, Kentucky
Trump, buoyed by strong support in the South and Midwest, won Indiana and Kentucky, adding 19 electoral votes to his tally. Harris clinched Vermont, a Democratic stronghold that has supported the party in eight consecutive presidential elections.
Republican Jim Banks, a strong Trump ally, won Indiana’s open US Senate seat over Democratic newcomer Valerie McCray. Banks’ win reinforces Indiana’s conservative streak, especially since the state has overwhelmingly supported Trump in past elections.
In Kentucky, Trump celebrated another victory, marking his third consecutive win in the state since 2016. His connection to the state dates back to his administration, where he collaborated with local leaders to push through major tax cuts and appoint three conservative Supreme Court justices, solidifying his popularity among Kentucky’s Republican base.
Republicans flip West Virginia Senate seat
In a significant early win for Republicans on Election Night, West Virginia governor Jim Justice secured his state’s open US Senate seat, flipping it red after Democrat Joe Manchin’s retirement. Justice, a popular conservative figure in the state, defeated Democrat Glenn Elliott, a former Wheeling mayor, in a closely watched race.
Harris claims victory on Vermont
Harris claimed victory in Vermont, underscoring her support in progressive regions. Vermont’s Governor Phil Scott, a moderate Republican critical of Trump, had previously voiced support for Democratic leaders, even voting for Joe Biden in 2020. Vermont’s alignment with Harris reflects a broader ideological divide between regions supporting different approaches to pressing issues like economic recovery, social policy, and foreign relations.
As polling stations closed in six states, including the battleground of Georgia, the stage was set for a nail-biting night. For many Americans, the election’s outcome symbolizes a decision not only about policies but about the direction of democracy itself.
