WASHINGTON (News) — As Election Day unfolds, a tumultuous presidential campaign nears its conclusion, with Americans making a critical choice between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for the presidency.
Voters are faced with a definitive decision between two candidates with contrasting personalities and visions for steering the world’s largest economy and military.
Kamala Harris, the current Democratic vice president, has the opportunity to become the nation’s first female president if she prevails. She has pledged to collaborate across party lines to address economic concerns while maintaining continuity with policies established by President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Trump, the former Republican president, has expressed intentions to overhaul the federal workforce with his supporters, implement extensive tariffs on various nations, and initiate a historic mass deportation program.
The final hours of the campaign saw both candidates campaigning in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, as they aimed to invigorate their supporters and attract undecided voters.
“I believe it’s vital to exercise my civic responsibility and vote not just for myself, but also for the democracy I have supported for many years,” remarked Ron Kessler, a 54-year-old Air Force veteran from Pennsylvania who was voting for only the second time.
Both Trump and Harris focused on seven key battleground states on Election Day: Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which flipped from Trump to Biden in 2020, alongside Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina, which had been closely contested in previous elections.
With the election results hanging in the balance, there is a possibility that it may take time to determine the winner, reminiscent of prior elections. An early insight from Dixville Notch in New Hampshire, known for its tradition of voting just after midnight, mirrored the close nature of the contest with a tie of three votes each for Trump and Harris.
Four years earlier, it took several days to declare a winner, and once again, Trump has made unfounded claims that any loss would stem from electoral fraud. Harris’ campaign is bracing for the possibility that Trump might attempt to proclaim victory prematurely or contest the results should she emerge victorious. The aftermath of the previous election saw Trump instigating efforts to undermine the electoral outcome, culminating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
On Tuesday, Trump intended to cast his vote in Florida before spending the day at his Mar-a-Lago estate ahead of a gathering at a local convention center. Conversely, Harris had already voted by mail in California and planned to host a watch party at Howard University, her alma mater, in Washington.
The implications of each candidate’s potential presidency are significant. Should Harris win, she will make history as the first woman, a Black woman, and someone of South Asian heritage to lead the nation. Additionally, she would become the first sitting vice president to ascend to the presidency in over three decades.
Conversely, a Trump victory would mark him as the oldest person ever elected as president and the first former president in over a century to regain the office after defeat. Furthermore, he would be the first president to assume office after a felony conviction.
Having navigated a political landscape marred by the events of January 6, Trump secured the Republican nomination, attracting a mix of long-standing allies and former critics. His campaign has faced extreme incidents, including two assassination attempts this year alone.
A triumph for Trump would signal that a substantial segment of the electorate has dismissed warnings from former advisors about his conduct or prioritized concerns regarding the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the economy and immigration.
Such an outcome would likely protect Trump from facing prison time due to his conviction related to hush-money payments made during his last presidential campaign, with sentencing imminent. Once in office, Trump could potentially halt federal probes concerning his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The stakes of this election resonate globally, particularly considering the far-reaching consequences of a potential second term for Trump as he aligns himself with the Republican Party’s extremes while disregarding traditional democratic values.
Trump’s rhetoric has been particularly sharp towards Harris and the Democratic establishment, labeling them in derogatory terms, while insinuating military action against those he perceives as adversaries. In turn, Harris has criticized Trump as “fascist,” attributing the risk to women’s health to his judicial appointments that dismantled Roe v. Wade, though she attempted to keep her campaign’s final day focused on uplifting themes without directly naming her opponent.
As Election Day approached, officials on various levels underscored their belief in the stability of the country’s electoral systems while being prepared for an unprecedented level of disinformation and the threat of violence or cyberattacks.
Both campaigns have equipped themselves with an extensive legal framework anticipating disputes arising from the election. Law enforcement agencies nationwide are on high alert for potential unrest.
The outcome of this race garners international attention, with the future of U.S. support for Ukraine, the country’s commitment to global alliances, and its stance against authoritarianism hanging in the balance.
Harris has committed to continuing support for Ukraine amidst its conflict with Russia that escalated significantly last year, while Trump has called Ukraine into question, lauding Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggesting he would endorse actions against NATO allies deemed irresponsible.
In this shifting political landscape, voters across the nation are also casting ballots on numerous elections that will shape the control of Congress, in addition to state-level measures concerning issues like abortion access.
Preliminary reports indicate that over 81 million individuals have voted early, although this figure falls short of the all-time high set during the 2020 pandemic elections, where Trump encouraged his supporters to rely on in-person voting. This year, however, he has directed his base to secure their votes in advance, leading to substantial early participation.
