US election results LIVE: Harris or Trump? Who's winning presidential race as vote-counting begins?

The votes are all in. Millions of Americans formed long lines to cast their ballots while thousands of US expats from around the world, made their voices heard through mailed and online votes.

Now the wait begins. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump notched up early wins on Election Night, November 5, as the first key polls closed in one of the tightest and most volatile elections in US history.

The outcome — which could be known overnight — will have momentous consequences, either making Harris the first woman in the world's most powerful job or handing a historic comeback to Trump and his right-wing "America First" agenda.

Here's a snapshot of election results from Reuters, based on a running tally by Edison Research:

With 91.1 per cent of votes tallied in the battleground state of Georgia:

This is based on the early vote count of US-based Edison Research.

For the first time in history, two Black women will serve at the same time in the Senate, following victories from Democrats Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester in Maryland and Delaware, respectively.

Of the 2,000-plus Americans who have served in the Senate, only three have been Black women — including Harris.

As with polling in the White House contest, the congressional election looks close. Even with Republicans pressing their advantage in the upper chamber, control of the House was expected to be a toss-up.

Jim Justice's victory in West Virginia wiped out the Democrats' 51-49 Senate advantage, leaving Republicans needing just one more gain to take it back, and setting their sights on Montana, Ohio and possibly Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Democrats were looking to mitigate losses with gains in Texas and Florida, but conceded both as the sitting Republicans notched easy wins.

If Republicans win all of the toss-up races, they'll have 55 of the 100 seats, giving them huge power to block Harris's domestic policy should she prevail over Trump, and many of her appointments.

Trump was projected to win in Idaho and Iowa, US networks said.

The key battleground states, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, have yet to be called.

Harris has won her home state of California, Edison Research projects, gaining its 54 electoral votes — the most of any state.

California has voted overwhelmingly Democratic in presidential elections since the 1990s. Joe Biden defeated Trump in the state by 30 percentage points in 2020.

Harris also won in the West Coast state of Oregon.

California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii started closing their polling stations at 11pm, US time (8pm, UAE time) — with some closing even later.

With 60.3 per cent of estimated votes tallied in Pennsylvania:

This is based on an early vote count by Edison Research.

Most US states are predictable, either comfortably Republican or Democratic. They are either red or blue, based on election history.

But seven states are considered 'battleground' because they have a history of alternating between Republican and Democratic candidates. And that's why all eyes are on these states:

Still confused about US elections? Check out an explainer below.

The US elections are NOT like any other voting exercise where you just count the ballots and the candidate with the highest number of votes win. America has

It follows an electoral college system for the presidential and vice-presidential race. "Electors" are selected for each state and these "electors" cast their votes for the top two positions.

A presidential candidate must obtain an absolute majority of the "electors" — or 270 of the 538 — to win.

Each vote that Americans cast goes to a statewide tally, according to an explainer on the US government's website. "In 48 states and Washington, DC, the winner gets all the electoral votes for that state. Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a proportional system."

Read more about the system

Voting is done in all seven battleground states that could decide the outcome of this election. Nevada was the last to close at 10pm, US time (7am in UAE). Results for these states, however, are still pending.

Here are the seven swing states, which the world is watching very closely:

Know more about the swing states

Both presidential candidates reminded American voters to "stay in line" in the final hours of polls.

Here's how Trump said it — in all caps:

HI REPUBLICANS! IF YOU’RE IN LINE—STAY IN LINE… pic.twitter.com/5vEA2kXZXU

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2024

And this is Harris:

If you are in line before the polls close, stay in line.

It is your right to make your voice heard. If you have any trouble casting your ballot, call our Voter Assistance Hotline: 833-336-8683. pic.twitter.com/Y6KeIDU4lq

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 5, 2024

The Big Apple remains true to its character as the city that never sleeps. Staying up for election night, its skyline dazzled in US colours.

Time check: 10pm of November 5 in the US.

US stock futures and the in Asia on Wednesday as early election results suggested the race remained too close to call, leaving investors jumping at shadows.

Treasury yields climbed as some betting sites swung to favor Trump, while futures markets were still confident the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday.

Analysts generally assume Trump's plans for restricted immigration, tax cuts and sweeping tariffs if enacted would put more upward pressure on inflation and bond yields, than Harris' center-left policies.

Trump's proposals would also tend to push up the dollar while potentially restricting how far the Fed might ultimately be able to cut rates.

Across the US, Americans huddled and came together in watch parties as results of the presidential race unfold.

Results are tumbling in, with US media projecting wins for Trump so far in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Harris has so far captured Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and the US capital Washington, DC.

So far, that gives Harris 81 electoral votes and Trump 168.

The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of.

Expected challenges emerged as polls drew to a close.

In a stark reminder of the tension — and fears of outright violence — around the election, officials said 32 bomb threats were called into polling locations around Georgia.

In five stations, the threat required temporarily suspending voting while police checked for explosives, Fulton County police chief said.

The FBI and local authorities said the threats appeared to originate in Russia, which is accused by Washington of trying to meddle in the election.

There were no surprises in the. Republican former president Trump won strongholds Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, and Democratic vice-president Harris took more liberal Vermont.

As the first results came in, Trump said "we're going to have a big victory tonight".

The Harris campaign reported strong turnout in the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia.