BLOG | US Election 2024 — Live Updates

By Rex Siu, Sanjana Janardhan, Sam Lawrence, Gabrielle Ohmer, Sophie James, Roman de Vallance, Ailish Dwyer, Sienna Martyn and Nova Berger in Seattle, WA.

US Election 2024 ends with Trump to serve second term

10:35 PM AEDT | Rex Siu, Sanjana Janardhan & Sam Lawrence

Thank you all for reading and staying with us as we witnessed the former and now President-elect Donald J. Trump voted in as the 47th US president.

Trump won a number of crucial swing states, paving the way to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Joe Biden after the president dropped out of the race to serve a single term. Mr Trump is the first in over 120 years to serve a non-consecutive second presidential term.

World leaders, including Keir Starmer of the UK, Anthony Albanese of Australia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Narendra Modi of India, and Lawrence Wong of Singapore have all congratulated Trump, as he has gained over 270 electoral votes.

Harris will address the American people tomorrow, according to the co-chair of her campaign, in what is expected to be a concession speech.

These battleground victories significantly narrowed Harris’s route to the presidency as the second woman candidate to lose a presidential election.

 

Here are some final updates for the day:

• Republicans have maintained control of the Senate following crucial victories by Bernie Moreno in Ohio, Jim Justice in West Virginia, and Deb Fischer, who successfully defended her seat in Nebraska.
• For the first time in history, two black women will be serving in the Senate: Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland
• Most of the tightest House races are still too close to call, with vote counting — particularly in California — likely to span several days. Both parties remain in the running for control of the chamber.
• There are 10 states that voted on abortion referendums, with seven voting in favour of guaranteeing abortion rights. Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, New York and Maryland voted in favour, while South Dakota, Nebraska and Florida did not reach the required percentage of votes to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution of the state. The exact questions differed from state to state.

 

GOP takes the Senate

10:30 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Sam here to bring you the latest about the election night.

It’s been a long day for all of us, but to wrap up, it’s important to remember that other elections were also on today, most importantly the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.

Given that any legislation will need to be passed by both chambers of Congress to become law, these elections will decide how easily President-elect Trump will be able to govern.

US Senate

The Republicans have won control of the US Senate, gaining two seats off the Democrats — Jim Justice in West Virginia and Bernie Moreno in Ohio. Each state in the US is entitled to two senators to sit in the 100-seat chamber. Other results are still rolling in, but the Republicans have already secured an unassailable 51 seats.

Results could get worse for the Democrats, though, as they currently trail in Senate races in Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Pennsylvania — all seats previously held by the Democrats.

As it stands, the balance of seats sits at 51-42 to the Republicans, plus two Democrat-leaning Independent senators. 33 seats in the Senate were up for election today.

US House of Representatives

There are 435 seats in the US House, split equally amongst the population. At present, with all 435 seats up for grabs, it is too close to call.

The Democrats have picked up seats from the Republicans in New York but the Republicans have also returned the favour, gaining a seat in Michigan. At the time of writing, the Republicans lead with 197 confirmed seats to the Democrats 179.

The House of Representatives is the Democrats’ last hope to avoid the Republicans gaining control of all three federal US bodies — the Presidency, the Senate and the House. If the Republicans gain a majority in all three, known as the ‘trifecta’, they will have virtually no barrier to pass legislation.

Experts weigh in on outcome

9:33 PM AEDT | Rex Siu

As Trump declared victory, having secured 267 votes out of 270 required and taking a virtually unassailable lead, we asked some experts for their take on the comeback of the former president.

Vice President Harris has not conceded or made a public appearance yet.

Trump’s victory today was powered by key battleground states, including reclaiming Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, along with North Carolina in the pocket, and the President-elect is now in a good position to win Arizona and Michigan, too.

Professor Markus Wagner, an internationally recognised expert in international economic law and governance, international peace and security at the University of Wollongong, told Central News: “Trump built an impressive coalition, increasing his support among blue-collar and Latino voters. This was true in both traditionally Republican-leaning states but also within the swing states.

“What was most surprising is the increase in vote share among female voters compared to 2016. The issue of reproductive rights that Harris counted on did not cut through as much as she had hoped.”

Cory Alpert, PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and an ex-staffer in Biden’s White House, told Central News: “This is not an America I recognise. Tonight, people I grew up around and believed were fundamentally good people came out in massive numbers to support a man who will weaken America’s fundamental freedoms and our democracy.”

 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives it up for Trump

9:08 PM AEDT | Rex Siu

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has sent his congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump.

“Congratulations, President-elect Trump, on your historic election victory,” Starmer wrote and shared it on X.

“As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”

 

Albanese congratulates Trump

7:25 PM AEDT | Rex Siu

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese just congratulated US president-elect Donald Trump on X:

“Working together, we can ensure the partnership between our nations and peoples remains strong into the future,” he wrote.

 

Trump takes to stage for victory speech

7:01 PM AEDT | Gabrielle Ohmer

Just minutes after the AP announced that Trump had won Pennsylvania, Donald Trump took to the stage at his Campaign HQ in West Palm Beach, Florida, for a victory speech.

The early speech comes as no surprise as Trump was advised to prematurely declare victory on election night if he was significantly ahead of Harris.

In his speech, Trump pledged to bring a “golden age” to the United States.

“We made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political thing,” he said.

JD Vance, his running mate, took to the stage also and said: “We just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.

“We’re never going to stop fighting for you, for your dreams, for the future of your children, and we’re going to lead the greatest economic comeback in American history under Donald Trump’s leadership.”

Trump also thanked the audience for winning the popular vote, although this has not yet been determined. He stated: “Winning the popular vote was very nice, very nice, I will tell you.” The popular vote has not been won by the Republican Party since George W. Bush in 2004.”

 

It also looks like Republicans will control the House of Representatives this term.

Trump said: “I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president, and every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America.”

While Trump has not yet reached 270 electoral votes, Harris can not reach the required count to win following the loss of the highly contested votes in Pennsylvania.

 

Trump wins Pennsylvania

6:44 PM AEDT | Sanjana Janardhan

Donald Trump has taken Pennsylvania, defeating Kamala Harris in the critical fight for the key battleground state. Trump was leading by 175,000 votes when the AP officially called the win, putting him 3 electoral votes away from the presidency.

Trump is currently leading in the race for Michigan and Wisconsin but could ultimately win if he captures any of the remaining swing states.

 

Trump did not need the popular vote. He may win it anyway.

6:01 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

The popular vote (the total vote received by candidates) does not decide the US Presidential Election, but rather the electoral college votes. But in what is an indictment of how poorly the Democrats have polled tonight, Trump may end up winning it anyway. He currently leads Kamala Harris by 5 million votes — 67.3 to 62.3 million.

The Republicans have not won the popular vote since 2004. Biden won the popular vote in 2020 with 7 million votes, and in 2016, despite losing the election, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote with just under 3 million votes.

Above: The popular vote according to the NYT, seen under the electoral college vote.

 

Why Maine and Nebraska split their electoral college votes

5:58 PM AEDT | Ailish Dwyer

All 48 states and Washington DC allocate electoral votes based on popular vote in a winner-takes-all situation.

Maine and Nebraska are the only exceptions because they allocate two to the state’s overall winner and one to the popular vote winner in each congressional district (Nebraska has three districts, Maine has two). Maine enacted this system prior to the 1972 presidential election, while Nebraska followed suit later in 1992.

Earlier this year, GOP Senator Mike McDonnell from Nebraska attempted to implement a winner-takes-all system in the state, but his efforts failed. Although Nebraska is reliably Republican, they have a ‘blue dot’ in their 2nd Congressional District around their biggest city Omaha.

Changes in the electoral voting system allowed Obama to become the first Democrat to win votes from the 2nd Congressional District in 2008 and later Biden in 2020. The opposite is true for Maine, which historically votes Democrat, but has a more conservative 2nd Congressional District.

AP declared Trump the winner of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District electoral vote as of 5:56 pm AEDT.

 

Trump wins Georgia

5:48 PM AEDT | Gabrielle Ohmer

AP has officially called the race in Georgia, with Trump winning the state.

The race was called after 94 per cent of votes were counted, which gave Trump a lead of approximately 127,000 votes.

in 2020, Biden narrowly won Georgia by 0.3 per cent, a surprising outcome considering that Georgia is a traditionally Republican state.

With Georgia being the second swing state to be officially won by Trump, the race may be seeing its end soon.

 

Trump 2.0 for the Australian economy: What’s ahead?

5:29 PM AEDT | Rex Siu

With Donald Trump taking three key battleground states — North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania — the former president’s return to the White House seems inevitable.

Experts at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) shared their views with Central News on how it might impact the Australian economy.

Professor Tim Harcourt, chief economist at the UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance, noted that a Trump re-election could bring “some potential impacts” for Australia, particularly in terms of tariffs and China relations.

“If Trump renews his promise to impose across-the-board tariffs, this will harm Australian exporters directly and has the potential for a global trade war,” Professor Harcourt explained to Central News.

He added, “Trump talks tough with China, which could affect Australia, but China has more domestic economic problems now than in 2016, so it may be less confrontational. Ironically, Trump prefers negotiation to confrontation and did not initiate military conflict in his first term as President.”

Professor James Laurenceson, director of the UTS Australia-China Relations Institute, emphasised that Australia’s primary exposure to Trump’s tariffs would be indirect, via China, rather than the US directly.

“Our major exposure is via China. We only sold goods worth A$21.5 billion to the US last year, less than 4 per cent of total exports. In contrast, we sold $A204.5 billion to China,” he noted.

Prof Laurenceson warned that escalating US-China tensions could slow China’s economic growth, which would, in turn, affect Australia’s exports. He also pointed to the possibility that a sustained US-China trade conflict could weaken American influence in the region, potentially encouraging closer ties between Australia and China to maintain regional stability.

Georgia Edmonstone, an economic security researcher at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre (USSC), told The New Daily she foresees potential challenges for Australian exporters to the US. “In his previous administration, Trump also placed a small amount of tariffs on nearly all imports of steel and aluminium and on a significant number of products from China.”

 

Democrats will not control the Senate, according to projections

5:11 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

The Democrats have lost the US Senate, as the Republicans have gained two seats: Jim Justice in West Virginia and Brian Moreno in Ohio. That pushes the Republicans from 49 seats to 51 in the 100-seat upper-house, a clear majority.

What does that mean? This means that even if Harris wins the presidency, a bill that needs to become law could be blocked by the Republicans. This includes a Federal abortion support bill pledged by Harris, which would enshrine protections on abortion access. In the US, for bills to become law, they must be passed by the House and the Senate.

The other legislative chamber in the US is the House of Representatives, which is up in the air at the moment. As it stands, the Republicans lead 183 to 155 over the Democrats, requiring 218 for a majority.

 

Elon Musk accused of spreading misinformation

5:09 PM AEDT | Sanjana Janardhan

Trump-supporter Elon Musk has aided the spread of misinformation on his platform X, a university professor has claimed.

Dr Timothy Graham, an associate professor in digital media at the Queensland University of Technology, said Musk used two key strategies: managing attention by overwhelming the information space and spreading conspiracy theories about Democrats rigging the election.

“These claims were further amplified by the creation of a group run by Mr Musk’s super PAC, America, which has attracted over 64,000 members on X,” he said. “This group has been actively disseminating misinformation about pre-marked ballots, malfunctioning voting machines, and alleged threats at polling stations,” Dr Graham wrote on The Conversation.

Musk is one of Trump’s most vocal and wealthy backers, contributing nearly $120 million to supporting the campaign through establishing get-out-the-vote initiatives and making donations to conservative groups such as Building America’s Future.

Benjamin Soksis, a senior associate at the Urban Institute, said Musk’s approach to politics is starkly different to previous billionaires who made their allegiances discrete, noting he has “a kind of gleeful embrace of partisanship”.

“That feels unusual for the wealthiest individuals – the complete eschewal of discretion as a mode of political engagement,” Soskis said.

 

Early lead by Trump?

5:06 PM AEDT | Ailish Dwyer

With key victories early on in the states of Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida, the residence of his Mar-A-Largo resort, Trump is sweeping in electoral votes, while Harris took her home state of California. However, many of these wins are not surprising as they fall in line with results from 2016 and 2020.

Trump is also expected to win the swing state of Georgia, although the count is not yet finalised.

As of 4:30 PM AEDT, Trump has 230 electoral votes while Harris has 210. The New York Times chief political analyst, Nate Cohn, predicts a Trump Victory, with an estimated 298 seats going to Trump and 240 to Harris.

Cory Alpert, PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and former Biden administration staffer, told Central News that The New York Times had Hillary at a 95 per cent chance of winning at this point in 2016.

“We don’t know enough yet (to call it),” he said.

About 78 million Americans cast their vote before November 6, and the Democrats tend to lead in early voting when compared to Republicans. However, both Democrat and Republican early voters tend to be highly politically engaged, making it difficult to determine what impact early voting will have on the results at this point.

 

What do uni students think about the election?

5:02 PM AEDT | Ben Webster, Emmie Lunney, Serena Hoffman, Gretel Deutsch, Afreen Zoha, Emma Battaglia, Kiadyn Kurniawan and Evie McKechnie

Central News was joined on campus at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) by Sydney high school students who vox-popped UTS students about the election as the votes rolled in.

4:52 PM AEDT | Sanjana Janardhan

Abortion rights will be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution after gaining voter approval, a monumental rejection of one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans.

The Associated Press reported Amendment 3 winning with 54 per cent to 46 per cent. The tight win elicited mixed reactions from anti-abortion groups across the state, with Tori Schafer, the deputy director for policy and campaigns of the ACLU of Missouri, stating: “We did not accept this nightmare thrust upon us.”

The new amendment will come into effect in 30 days, legalising abortion up to 24 weeks. The amendment also ensures access to other essential forms of reproductive healthcare, such as birth control. Prior to Amendment 3, women in Missouri only had access to abortion when their life was at immediate risk.

 

Swing state update

4:15 PM AEDT | Gabi Ohmer

The results of the seven swing states are as follows:

Arizona: Trump is leading by 9,086 votes with 50.1 per cent of votes counted.

Georgia: Trump is leading by approximately 119,000 votes. 93.1 per cent of votes have been counted.

Michigan: Trump holds a lead of 6.2 per cent. An estimated 47.8 per cent of votes have been counted.

North Carolina: Trump wins.

Wisconsin: Trump is leading by 101,000 votes. An estimated 77.1 per cent of votes have been counted.

Nevada: No results posted.

Pennsylvania: Trump leads by 172,000 with 85.5 per cent of votes counted.

 

Path narrows for Harris 

4:15 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

North Carolina has been called for former president Donald Trump, and Georgia is looming increasingly likely as a Republican gain, narrowing the path to the White House for Kamala Harris. North Carolina was Trump’s most marginal state in 2020.

Harris, now sitting on 205 electoral votes behind Trump’s 230, virtually must win Pennsylvania. Even if the Vice-President wins New Hampshire and the 3 out of 4 electoral college votes in Maine, as expected, plus the remaining swing states except Pennsylvania (Nevada, Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan), she would only reach 268 electoral college votes.

The only other alternative for Harris to reach 270 electoral college votes would be to overturn a 120,000 vote deficit in Georgia, which seems to be a likely gain for the Republicans. Decision Desk has called Georgia for Trump, but mainstream media sources have not yet made the call.

 

How does the electoral voting system work: the path to 270

3:24 PM AEDT | Ailish Dwyer

The Electoral College, established by the Founding Fathers, remains the system for selecting US presidents, with 538 electoral votes up for grabs. To win, a candidate needs 270 votes, with most states using a winner-takes-all approach. Nebraska and Maine are exceptions, allocating votes based on both statewide and district-level results.

However, the system has faced increasing backlash, with a 2024 Pew Research poll revealing that 63 per cent of Americans now support electing the president based on the popular vote instead.

 

Battle of the sexes

3:22 PM AEDT | Gabrielle Ohmer

As the results of the election are nearing, conversations around gender remain a key issue continuing to dominate discussion as it has over the entire campaign.

With Trump continuing to make headlines with questionable remarks about various women, researchers from the United States Studies Centre claim that it’s not only reducing voting support from American women but also raising concerns amongst Australian women.

Ava Kalinauskas and Alice Nason report that women in Australia are concerned about the impact a second Trump presidency would have on Australia, and are twice a likely as their male counterparts to withdraw their support for the US alliance if Trump wins.

The two raise concerns about representation and ‘inspiring the confidence’ of women, which affects the trust in Australia’s alliance with the USA.

 

Are young Americans at the polls?

3:18 PM AEDT | Gabrielle Ohmer

A notable takeaway from this election campaigning was the effort from both Trump and Harris to appeal to younger generations, with both candidates highly active on social media, appearing on popular podcasts and participating in online trends.

Yet data from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) last week indicated fewer young people had registered to vote than they did in 2020, although many states had not updated this data since September 17, right after the national registration day.

Still, the influence of social media and celebrity endorsement in this election played a big part, with both candidates bringing out multiple public figures at their rallies over the past month. Two months ago, more than 330,000 people visited a link to register posted by Taylor Swift.

According to Vote.org, 11 per cent of people who registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day on September 16 were 18 years old. Registration is a major barrier to young people’s voting participation, according to Katie Hilton and Sam Searles from CIRCLE.

 

Harris wins Washington DC

3:14 PM AEDT | Ailish Dwyer

Harris has won the District of Columbia’s three electoral college votes. As of 2:46pm AEDT, Harris has a total of 113 electoral votes to Trump’s 210.

NYT Chief political analyst Nate Cohn predicts a Trump Victory, with a prediction of 298 seats going to Trump and 240 to Harris.

 

Battleground states updates: voting wraps

3:04 PM AEDT | Gabi Ohmer & Rex Siu

The swing states to watch today are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Nevada and Pennsylvania. Trump is leading in almost all these states.

As for 3 PM AEDT, The New York Times projects:

Arizona: Trump is leading by 2,356 votes, with 53 per cent of votes counted.

Georgia: Trump is likely to win Georgia as 93 per cent of votes have been counted, with Republicans holding a lead of 140,000 votes.

Michigan: Trump holds a small lead of 3 per cent with 28 per cent of votes counted.

North Carolina: Trump holds a lead of approximately 140,000 votes, with 87 per cent of votes in.

Wisconsin: Trump leads by 15,307 votes with 61 per cent of votes counted.

Nevada: No results have been posted yet.

PENNSYLVANIA: Trump holds a lead of approx 110,000 with 55 per cent of votes counted.

Another bomb threat disrupts voting in PA

2:21 PM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Pennsylvania follows a number of swing states that are on high alert due to another reported bomb threat. A government building in West Chester, Pennsylvania, was evacuated following a bomb threat near polling stations.

Josh Maxwell, chair of the Chester County Board of Elections, said on social media at 1 PM AEDT: “There was a bomb threat to the Government Services Center in West Chester, PA.” He added that the building is currently being searched by police dogs and will be back in service to continue counting votes if nothing is found.

 

NYTimes projects Trump lead; Harris to catch up following postal votes

2:10 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

The New York Times electoral college ‘needle’ has projected that Trump will reach 278 college votes and 260 for Harris.

This may change overnight, but it is in line with Trump’s leads in Georgia and North Carolina — two highly contested swing states.

As of 1 PM AEDT (9 pM ET), Trump leads by 300,000 votes in Georgia and 80,000 in North Carolina.

Electoral analysts are projecting that this gap will narrow as postal and early votes flow in, given that the Democrats traditionally poll in these formats.

 

Trump victorious in 17 states: “no surprises so far”

1:45 PM AEDT | Sophie James

Trump is leading by 54 per cent, winning 40 out of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election as of 9:30 PM ET.

Associated Press projects Trump has won the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, West Virginia, Wyoming, Texas, and Tennessee, all of which are traditionally Red states.

He also won Ohio, North and South Dakota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida.

Cory Alpert, PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, who was the former senior advisor at the US Conference of Mayors, said that there are no surprises so far.

“I’m curious about how things are going to break out with the gender gap and what that could tell us about what might happen in similar states,” he said.

Professor Markus Wagner at the University of Wollongong, who specialises in US and Australian constitutional law, told Central News: “The first states went predictably into either the Harris or Trump bucket. The swing states are too early to call, but Georgia appears to be tilting towards Trump.”

Professor Wagner said, “The one surprising element is that the younger vote appears to skew towards Trump in some of the swing states, while the older vote leans towards Harris.

We won’t know for a few hours, but Professor Wagner said he believed much of the outcome will depend on Pennsylvania.

“Given the legislative hurdles to count even ballots early, we might be waiting for the results until authorities in the Keystone State have finished tallying its votes,” he added.

 

Harris’ last plea

1:32 PM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Kamala Harris gave a final election night interview earlier, telling SiriusXM host Zerlina Maxwell what last-minute voters should think about before voting:

“What will your life be like after January 20th and whether you will have a president who is focused on the issues that impact you, such as bringing down the cost of groceries, bringing down the cost of housing.”

Harris further added that she “wants folks to just not be able to get by but get ahead.”

“Donald Trump does not have that plan,” the vice president said.

 

Trump wins the 3rd Congressional District in Nebraska

1:27 PM AEDT | Ailish Dwyer

AP has called Trump to win the electoral vote for Nebraska’s rural 3rd Congressional District.

Historically, it has been one of the most conservative districts in the country, with voters supporting Trump 3-1 in 2016 and 2020.

 

Virginia and Kansas defying pollsters

1:17 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Virginia and Kansas were two states projected to be won by Harris and Trump. Virginia was last won by a Republican in 2004, whilst Kansas has not voted Democrat since 1964.

Trump is ahead in Virginia by 100,000 votes, 47 per cent of which are counted, whilst Harris is ahead in Kansas by 20,000 votes, 30 per cent of which are counted. Both states are too close to be called.

 

We’ll be here to update you in the afternoon

1:12 PM AEDT | Sanjana Janardhan

Central News will continue to bring the latest updates from our newsroom in Sydney and our correspondents in the US.

Joining us are our afternoon reporters Sienna Martyn, Gabi Ohmer and Ailish Dwyer.

More to come.

Stay tuned via this page on centralnews.com.au, our social media platforms, including X, Threads, Instagram and TikTok: bit.ly/m/centralnews

 

US media facing cancellations after refusing to endorse candidates

1:05 PM AEDT | Sophie James

The decision of a number of leading US newspapers not to endorse a candidate for the presidency is an attack on journalistic integrity, according to a former Joe Biden campaign alum.

The Washington Post’s decision to endorse neither Harris nor Trump resulted in more than 200,000 readers reportedly cancelling their digital subscriptions. The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos’ said it was to win back reader trust, but it came after four decades of the paper endorsing candidates.

Cory Alpert, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and Biden campaign alum, told Central News: “As the Washington Post says, democracy dies in darkness. When newspaper owners step in to control the editorial content and restrict the editorial independence of their papers, we risk a lot.”

The owner of the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soon-Shiong, also followed suit, refusing to endorse either Harris or Trump, purportedly for their similar policies on the war in Gaza.

Alpert added: “These papers are a massive platform for informing views across the election, and it seems shocking that these owners are so scared of Trump retaliation that they were willing to risk journalistic integrity to bend to him.”

The Wall Street Journal – the largest conservative newspaper, has not endorsed a presidential candidate since 1928.

 

Closing messages from both camps: ‘positive’ vs ‘confused’

12:56 PM AEDT | Sophie James

Harris’ and Trump’s starkly different closing statements could sway voters.

Harris’ closing message, which took place at the Ellipse in Washington DC on October 30, called for unity and inclusion.

Trump delivered his closing message at the Grand Rapid in Michigan on Monday, November 4, where he also delivered his final message both in 2016 and 2020. His statement included a verbal attack on Representative Nancy Pelosi.

Cory Alpert, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne who served three years as a White House staffer under the Biden Administration and was a former senior advisor at the US Conference of Mayors, told Central News: “Harris’ closing message was clearly positive and focused on working for every American. We’re seeing massive energy for her campaign, as we’re seeing in the rallies – but more importantly, in the level of volunteer engagement across the battleground states.

“Meanwhile, Trump is closing on a confused message that doesn’t make much sense and seems bent on insulting as many people as possible.

“It’s worth noting that his rallies, a staple of his political rise, have been half-full recently, and his ground game was exported to Elon Musk’s PAC, which doesn’t have anywhere near the level of enthusiasm or capacity as the Harris campaign.”

 

Bomb threat disrupts voting in West Chester, PA

12:54 PM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Pennsylvania follows a number of swing states that are on high alert due to another reported bomb threat. A government building in West Chester, Pennsylvania, was evacuated following a bomb threat near polling stations.

Josh Maxwell, chair of the Chester County Board of Elections, detailed the threat on social media, stating, “There was a bomb threat to the Government Services Center in West Chester, PA,” further adding that the building is currently being searched by dogs and will be back in service to continue counting votes if nothing is found.

 

Results starting to flow in Pennsylvania

12:42 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Over 500,000 votes have now been counted in Pennsylvania, one of the most hotly contested states in this election. Kamala Harris held four rallies in the state yesterday, whilst Trump held two. 7.6 per cent of the vote has been counted; 530,000 votes falling for Harris and 220,000 for Trump.

Experts have suggested that the state’s 19 electoral college votes will be vital for either Harris or Trump to reach the all-important 270 electoral college votes.

 

Why some Dem voters are turning to Trump

12:41 PM AEDT | Nova Berger in Seattle

The support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr and dissatisfaction with Joe Biden has led many long-term Democrat voters to switch allegiances, one US voter has claimed.

“I never liked him, really. I was a Bernie supporter,” a Seattle resident told this correspondent.

However, there were a few factors that contributed to this change of heart, which have been common takeaways from this election.

The man, who did not want to be named, wearing a ‘Kennedy’ hat, referred to ‘RFK’, saying it was a reason for his vote for Trump in 2024.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr initially competed for the Democrat nomination before campaigning as an independent, then dropping out and publicly endorsing Trump.

The interviewee also said he did not want to “be forced to be vaccinated” as it “can be a dangerous direction,” that he was “tired of the foreign wars,” and that “censorship is a dangerous direction to go in”.

Additional reporting by Gabi Ohmer.

 

Trump comments on swing state

12:40 PM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Former President Donald Trump told the Rich Zeoli Show on Philadelphia’s Talk Radio 1210 WPHT: “If we win Pennsylvania, we win the whole deal.” Further adding, “Stay in line and get that vote in.” Pennsylvania is an important prize for both Harris and Trump with 19 electoral college votes, but is a battleground state, swinging either Red or Blue.

Trump further questioned whether he can garner support in Philadelphia which has previously been a democratic stronghold.

 

Trump leads in electoral votes

12:18 AM AEDT | Sophie James

3 electoral votes for Kamala in the state of Vermont 23 for Trump in Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

 

Iowa may be the shock of the night

12:17 AM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Ten per cent of the vote is counted in Iowa, and Harris leads by 30,000 votes, with a vote of 58 per cent compared to Trump’s 40 per cent. Iowa carries 6 electoral college votes.

Pollster Ann Selzer, who has been right about Iowa polls since 2012, projected Harris would win the state earlier this week.

Meanwhile, in other swing states, Harris is behind in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina but is still ahead in Pennsylvania. It is expected that this gap will close as postal and early voting votes begin to be counted.

 

Trump wins South Carolina

12:15 PM AEDT | Sophie James

Associated Press has called South Carolina for Donald Trump, earning its nine electoral votes for the third straight election.

South Carolina has been solidly Republican for nearly five decades, not having voted for a Democratic nominee since Jimmy Carter in 1976. In the 2016 and 2020 elections, Trump won 55 per cent of the vote. AP called Trump the winner at 12:01 AEDT.

 

What should I keep an eye on?

12:13 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

While Republican and Democratic stronghold states continue to be called, keep an eye on how votes are tracking in Georgia and North Carolina — the main swing states to be reporting votes so far. In the 2020 Presidential Election, Georgia was won by Biden off Trump, whilst North Carolina was the Trump’s most marginal state.

At the moment, Harris leads in North Carolina but trails in Georgia. Polls indicated that both would be tight.

 

Harris wins mount up

12:12 PM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Kamala Harris has registered her first few wins in Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, AP projects. None of these victories are surprising, with Harris winning states that have previously supported the Democratic party.

 

West Virginia is Red

12:04 PM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Donald Trump has claimed 4 valuable electoral college votes in West Virginia. The conservative state previously voted for Trump in the last two elections.

 

Non-credible Russian-originated bomb threats cause Georgia polling extension

11:57 AM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

CNN reports that 12 voting locations will have their polling hours extended in Georgia as a result of non-credible bomb threats, according the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “They’re up to mischief, it seems. They don’t want us to have a smooth, fair and accurate election.” further elaborating, “We identified the source, and it was from Russia.”

An FBI statement has since been released stating they were aware but did not address the source of the threat. “Election integrity and protecting our community is our highest priority, and the FBI is working closely with state and local law enforcement partners to respond to election threats and protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote,” the FBI said in a statement.

 

All eyes set on battleground states

11:51 AM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

The eight states that could determine the results of the 2024 election are locked in a tight race. Each of these states, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, are known for ‘swinging’ to either the Republicans or Democrats. Both Trump and Harris have made each of these swing states at the heart of their campaigns, any of which could hold the keys to the presidency. Historically, each of these states has been integral to determining both the 2016 and 2020 election results.

 

Pennsylvania voting machine issues

11:41 AM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

Hundreds of voters in Pennsylvania were forced to place their ballots into boxes after voting machines malfunctioned across Cambria County. Cambria County Solicitor Ron Repak said in a statement: “The Cambria County Board of Election learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the County’s Electronic Voting System has prevented voters from scanning their ballots.” This follows problems with tabulation machines in Bedford County, but authorities have reassured voters that their votes will be counted. Ron Repak continued, “This should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts. The Board has filed a Court Order extending the time to vote within Cambria County.”

 

Projected state wins

11:39 AM AEDT | Roman de Vallance

CNN has projected Vice President Kamala Harris will win Vermont, whilst former President Donald Trump will claim Kentucky and Indiana. There are 3 electoral votes at stake in Vermont but 8 electoral votes in Kentucky and 11 electoral votes in Indiana. Trump has taken an early but narrow lead in the Presidential Race, as it takes at least 270 electoral votes to win the 2024 Election.

 

It’s not just a presidential election tonight

11:31 AM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Remember to keep an eye on a number of other US elections tonight. All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for grabs, as are 33 of the 100 spots in the US Senate. Meanwhile, in respective states, voters may also vote for their governor (think of it as the premier in Australian states). The Associated Press has already called Indiana’s gubernatorial for the Republican candidate, Mike Braun, in an expected result.

 

Polls start to close on the East Coast

11:23 AM AEDT | Sam Lawrence

Polls have now closed in Virginia, South Carolina and Vermont, as well as some polls in Florida. Polls in Kentucky and Indiana closed at 10 AM AEDT.

Polls in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina will close at 11:30 AM AEDT.

 

Welcome

11:20 AM AEDT | Rex Siu

Welcome to Central News’s live blog on the US Election Day 2024. We are bringing you the latest updates from our newsroom in Sydney and our correspondents in the US.

This is Rex, CN Deputy Editor – Here with me is our morning reporting team:

• Sam Lawrence
• Sanjana Janardhan
• Ailish Dwyer
• Sophie James
• Roman de Vallance

Our US correspondent, Nova Berger, is reporting from Seattle, WA. She is going to give you more updates on the ground later today.

Stay tuned via this page on centralnews.com.au, our social media platforms, including X, Threads, Instagram and TikTok: bit.ly/m/centralnews

 

How could swing states affect the election outcome? Video explainer.

10:26 AM AEDT | Amelie Zreika

 

First polls close in Kentucky and Indiana

9:00 AM AEDT

A Jefferson County judge denied a motion to extend polling hours after technical issues caused long voting delays in Louisville. Both the Kentucky Democratic Party and the ACLU had requested the extension in Jefferson Circuit Court to compensate for the disruptions. However, Judge Eric Haner ruled against the motion 30 minutes before polls closed, saying there was no evidence anyone in Louisville had been denied the right to vote and polling locations remained open. The decision came despite several hours of voting delays earlier in the day.

Americans are casting their vote in the 2024 US Presidential election, and Central News will keep you up-to-date with all the breaking news as votes are counted and states are declared for either the Democrats or Republicans.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democrat contender Kamala Harris face off in what has been described as a tight contest that could be decided by the key swing states of Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

The election is taking place in the US on Tuesday, November 5, but because of the delay, all the times and dates in the blog are in Australian local time in Sydney (Australian Eastern Daylight Time).

Main image Canva montage of GenCraft AI.

Commissioning Editor: Rex Siu

Sub-editor: Sanjana Janardhan