Voting has wrapped up at some initial polling stations in the U.S., where the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for the White House is expected to be extremely close. However, it may take days to determine the winner, as voters continue to line up to cast their ballots across much of the country.
The process ended at 6:00 p.m. (local time – 1:00 a.m. Greek time) at polling stations in Indiana and Kentucky.
In both states—considered Republican strongholds—Trump holds a significant lead, securing the first 19 electoral votes. The final winner will need a total of 270.
For months, the campaigns of both candidates have focused on seven battleground states, the so-called “swing states,” that will determine the outcome (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin).
The first wave of poll closures nationwide will occur at 7:00 p.m. (2:00 a.m. Greek time) in some areas of Georgia, where Trump won in 2016 but Joe Biden captured in 2020. Kamala Harris hopes to prevail there again this year. Trump is aiming to reach the magic number by winning Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Harris, on the other hand, could withstand a loss in Georgia (which has 11 electoral votes) if she wins in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
In Congress, all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the 100 Senate seats are up for election. Republicans are favored to regain control of the Senate, but the race for control of the House of Representatives (where 219 seats are needed for a majority) is expected to be close.
