U.S. Elections 2020: Donald Trump and Joe Biden Tackle Each Other on a Large Scale (File)
New Delhi:
The United States began voting on Tuesday to choose a new president in Joe Biden or stay with Donald Trump for his second term.
A record number of early votes – some 100 million – have already been cast in an election that has put the country in trouble and is closely watched in capitals around the world, AFP reported.
Americans have started lining up to vote for the next president in a chaotic environment, amid the pandemic and misinformation around postal voting.
As President Donald Trump seeks his return to office, his rival, Democrat Joe Biden, has waged an aggressive campaign to take over the White House for himself. Biden, 77, leads in nearly every opinion poll, backed by his constant message that America must restore its ‘soul’ and gain new leadership amid a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more of 231,000 people.
Polling stations opened in some eastern states at 6 a.m. EST (11 a.m. GMT). The most watched results will begin to appear after 7 p.m. EST (24 a.m. GMT) when polls close in states such as Georgia, although final national results may take days if the competition is tight, Reuters reported .
Here are the live updates on the 2020 US Presidential Election:
Donald Trump’s top homeland security official urged voters on Tuesday to be patient while awaiting election results after announcing that the president may rush to claim victory.
“Voters must be patient while awaiting the outcome of this year’s election,” said Chad Wolf, acting Homeland Security secretary.
“It is important to recognize that this process can take time.”
Trump reportedly told confidants he would declare victory on Tuesday night if he appeared to lead the vote, though he denied the accusation, AFP reported.
President Donald Trump said he was happy with his chances of winning when the U.S. election opens on Tuesday, predicting he would record big wins in key states such as Florida and Arizona.
“We feel very good,” a hoarse-voiced Trump told Fox News in a phone interview. “I think we will have the victory.”
Trump has said he expects victory in all key states that will decide the election, AFP reported.
