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First US election result in. Donald Trump, Kamala Harris tied at 3-3
Dixville Notch, a small New Hampshire town, saw its first votes of the election split evenly between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
In an election that was too close to call, it seemed only fitting that the first votes cast on Election Day were evenly divided—three for Donald Trump and three for Kamala Harris.
The small New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch, known for its tradition dating back to 1960, was the first in the nation to complete in-person voting. Following a spirited accordion rendition of the national anthem, the town's six voters began casting their ballots at midnight, and by 12.15 am, the vote count was finished.
The result closely mirrors the national polling trends, which have shown both candidates vying for a tight race.
The US electoral system is based on 538 electoral votes, consisting of 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 100 Senate seats, and 3 electoral votes from Washington, D.C. To win the presidency, a candidate must secure at least 270 votes. States are allocated electoral votes based on their population size. California, with 54 electoral votes, has the largest share, followed by Texas with 40 and Florida with 30. Smaller states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, and Vermont each have a minimum of 3 electoral votes.
Close battle between Trump and Harris
The election is expected to be fiercely contested in the swing states, which are key battlegrounds that don’t follow consistent voting trends and often determine the outcome of the race. These states include Nevada (6), Arizona (11), North Carolina (16), Georgia (16), Wisconsin (10), Michigan (15), and Pennsylvania (19).
Though several third-party candidates are running, the primary race remains between the Democratic and Republican parties. Vice President Kamala Harris, representing the Democrats, is hoping to make history by becoming the first woman and the first person of Indian origin to serve as U.S. President. On the other side, former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is attempting a historic comeback to the White House after his contentious departure in 2020. If Trump succeeds, he would become the first president in more than a century to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Polling data indicates a neck-and-neck race between Harris and Trump, with many surveys showing results within the margin of error. According to national polling data from ABC News' FiveThirtyEight platform, Harris holds a slight edge of 1 percentage point over Trump (48% to 46.9%). Other polls present close figures: NBC News and Emerson College show a 49%-49% tie, Ipsos gives Harris a 49%-46% lead, and AtlasIntel forecasts Trump ahead by 50%-48%.
