US election results: Who wins presidential race
Voting in the US election (photo: Getty Images)
The United States holds a presidential election today, November 5. The results in several key battleground states will prove crucial.
RBC-Ukraine reports on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' approach to voting, when to expect the results, and how votes are counted.
Contents:
The election campaign in the US has concluded, with millions of Americans heading to the polls on November 5 to vote for their presidential candidate. However, millions of voters have already taken advantage of early voting or mailed in their ballots.
These presidential elections are considered among the least predictable in years, as both candidates maintain equal chances of victory.
Candidate ratings
The US election features two key candidates: Kamala Harris from the Democratic Party and Donald Trump from the Republican Party. They have actively campaigned in recent months, seeking to sway undecided voters.
Nevertheless, polls indicate that their ratings remain tied within the margin of error. This trend is evident both nationwide and in key swing states. A poll conducted by NBC from October 30 to November 2 shows that Harris and Trump each received 49% support.
Other polls yield very similar results, as do various mathematical models used to forecast election outcomes. For detailed candidate ratings both nationally and in specific states, follow the link.
In such circumstances, the fate of the election may hinge on a few thousand votes despite the US population exceeding 330 million, including those ineligible to vote.
When to expect results in specific states
In the US, votes are counted using specialized machines rather than manually, so results from polling places often become available within hours after voting ends.
In the US, media outlets are the first to announce the winners of presidential elections. They gather and compile information from individual states. The US employs a unique election system where citizens formally vote not directly for a candidate but for electors who then choose the president. Therefore, separate elections effectively occur in each state simultaneously.
Poll opening hours vary by state but typically range from 5:00-7:00 AM to 6:00-8:00 PM. Based on previous elections, preliminary data regarding the winner may be available around 11:00 PM EST.
Factors that may delay vote counting
Early voting is popular in the US. Voters can either go to the polling place ahead of time, vote by mail, or, in some states, vote by email. As of November 3, over 75 million voters had cast their ballots in the US. Different states have various procedures for counting mail-in votes. In some states, counting can begin before the election day, while in others, it starts only after voting has concluded on election day. The counting of these votes may lead to delays in announcing results. This could extend not just for hours but for days or even weeks, especially if candidates contest the results through legal channels.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported on Harris and Trump's positions regarding support for Ukraine.
Also, read how swing states can decide the outcome of the US election and why candidates pay a lot of attention to them.
For more news on the presidential campaign, candidate ratings, and the nuances of the electoral system, visit the US Elections section on RBC-Ukraine.
Sources: us.gov website, NBC polls, and information about the US government from open sources.
