Donald Trump becomes 47th President of the United States
Former President Donald Trump has crossed the 270-electoral vote threshold and will become the 47th President of the United States, according to the AP.
Trump turned what was expected to be a tight race into a comfortable win.
Trump returns to the Oval Office for the second time. He became the 45th president after defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016, remaining in office until his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020.
He now joins former President Grover Cleveland as the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Trump will now look ahead to his second inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.
– Colin Kennedy
12:48 a.m.
The Harris Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said that Harris will not speak to her supporters tonight. He addressed the crowd at Harris’ alma mater, Howard University, saying she will address the nation on Wednesday.
– Michael Singer
12:36 a.m.
The second battleground state, Georgia, was called for former President Donald Trump, per multiple networks. His current total electoral college votes is 246. He is only 24 electoral college votes away from winning his second presidency.
– Michael Singer
Midnight
As the final few states’ polls close, the following state has been called per AP:
Harris wins:
- Hawaii
11:52 p.m.
The first battleground state, North Carolina, was called for former President Donald Trump per AP. His current total electoral votes is 230. He is only 40 electoral college votes away from his second presidency.
– Michael Singer
11 p.m.
As polls in the West begin to close, the following states have been called per AP:
Harris wins:
- New Mexico
- Oregon
– Michael Singer
10 p.m.
As of 10 p.m., the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania have yet to be called.
Per AP, the following states have been called:
Trump wins:
- Montana
- Utah
- Kansas
- Iowa Idaho
- Idaho
Harris wins:
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- California
- Washington
– Michael Singer
9 p.m.
The next round of states’ polls closed at 9 p.m. ET.
The states include: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Trump wins:
- Texas
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
- Louisiana
- Ohio
- Nebraska
Harris wins:
- New York
–Matthew Sewall
8:30 p.m.
The next round of states’ polls closed at 8 p.m ET.
These states include: Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Alabama, Connecticut, Missouri, New Hampshire, District of Columbia, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine, Rhode Island, Maryland, Arkansas and Tennessee.
Trump wins:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
Harris wins:
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Maryland
- Washington, DC
- Delaware
- New Jersey
- Illinois
- Rhode Island
–Matthew Sewall
7:34 p.m.
The second round of state’s polls closed at 7:30 p.m. EST Tuesday night.
These states include: North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
Trump is projected to win West Virginia.
— Samantha Nunez
7:26 p.m.
The first round of state’s polls closed at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday night.
These states include: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia and Vermont.
Trump is projected to win Indiana, Kentucky and South Carolina.
Harris is projected to win Vermont.
— Samantha Nunez
7 p.m.
An NBC News exit poll showed the state of democracy and the economy were top issues voters had in mind.
Thirty-five percent of voters believe democracy mattered most in casting their vote, while 31% believe the economy mattered most.
However, 56% of Harris voters nationwide believe democracy mattered, while 51% of Trump voters nationwide believe the economy mattered, the NBC exit poll said.
Abortion (14%) and immigration (11%) were ranked second. Foreign policy (4%) came in last.
The poll also looked at voters’ opinions of the country.
Dissatisfied (43%) and angry (29%) were the biggest feelings voters revealed. Satisfied (19%) and enthusiastic (7%) were feelings the least amount voters had.
— Samantha Nunez
6:36 p.m.
It will be a late night in Milwaukee as an estimated 30,000 absentee ballots will be recounted after the city encountered tabulator issues, according to FOX 6 Milwaukee.
The tabulators were said to be sealed but the doors were not properly closed, according to city spokesperson Jeff Fleming.
The city will be receiving a total of 113,311 absentee ballots.
The polls in Wisconsin will close at 8 p.m.
— Samantha Nunez
4 p.m.
As more and more Americans take to the polls, both candidates are making final attempts to get their word out.
Kamala Harris traveled to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, DC, to talk directly to voters on the phones.
“Thank you so very much, and thank you for being active in participating in this very, very important process and this foundation of our democracy … We can’t do it without people like you,” she said.
She was heard telling another individual, “Remind each other and everyone the power of your voice, your vote. This election is obviously so important,” according to CNN’s Chelsea Bailey.
According to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Donald Trump has been “on the phone regularly, phoning Republican allies and elected officials in key states to check-in.”
President Trump also took to X to send a message to voters, encouraging them to head to the polls. The tweet read “Republicans: We are doing GREAT! Stay on Line. Do not let them move you. STAY ON LINE AND VOTE!”
After non-credible bomb threats were made to polling locations across Georgia, polls will remain open past 7 p.m. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told Fox 5 Atlanta.
— Emma Dinnan
2 p.m.
A Pennsylvania judge ruled that voting hours in Cambria County will remain open for two-extra hours, until 10 p.m. after the polls experienced technical difficulties. All ballots cast after 10 p.m. will be cast by provisional ballots.
The Harris Campaign is feeling “good” about early ballots cast in Pennsylvania.
“Listen, we feel good about what we’re seeing in Pennsylvania and across the battleground states,” Harris-Walz communications director Michael Tyler said on Fox News.
More voting troubles are being reported in Alabama as two voting stations in Jefferson County and the entirety of St. Clair County reported issues at the polls, according to the Montgomery Advisor.
Chicago’s election “supersite,” the city’s largest voting site, experienced two-hour wait times to cast their ballots. A Chicago election spokesperson is expecting over 70% of the city’s population to vote.
Many of the voting miscues reported so far have been “largely expected routine and planned-for events,” said Cait Conley, senior adviser to the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in a press briefing.
— Colin Kennedy
1:30 p.m.
After months of preparation, Election Day has arrived. Americans nationwide are heading to the polls today to vote for the next President of the United States — either Vice President Kamala Harris or Former President Donald Trump.
All eyes are on the seven swing states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Follow along today for updates from HQNN.
— Emma Dinnan and Carleigh Beck