Pranav Patel, 42, of Warrington Township, Pa., said he’s put off by the onslaught of outreach from both campaigns. Patel showed USA TODAY more than a dozen missed calls he received from campaigns during the two hours before he went to vote.

“That’s not going to have me change my mind who I’m going to vote for,” he said.

− Deb Barfield Berry and Sarah Wire

Find all your state-by-state live results here:

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

Americans eager for the 2024 presidential race to end may not get their wish Tuesday as both camps are prepared for a prolonged election battle. The Harris campaign told reporters Monday the country might not know the election result “for several days,” given the different count rules in the critical swing states. In North Carolina, where Trump defeated then-candidate Joe Biden by 73,697 votes, or 1.3%, four years ago, the count could drag on.

“No one here actually expects full resolution on E-Day,” Todd Zimmer, co-founder of Down Home Carolina, a progressive-leaning nonprofit group, told USA TODAY. In a memo provided to USA TODAY, the group, which focuses on organizing in rural areas, advised its canvassers to be ready to help fix voter’s provisional ballots in case of a recount scenario where those votes could be challenged.

Zimmer said many activists, whether liberal or conservative, anticipate days or possibly weeks of administrative jockeying and legal maneuvering over election rules.

“It almost seems the foregone conclusion is we expect a recount or some kind of post-election activity to secure the popular vote,” Zimmer said.

In Nevada, waiting voters in Reno applauded after workers gave first-time voter Tyler Hilliard, 18, a certificate to mark the occasion. Hilliard, accompanied by his dad, was first in line and first to finish casting a ballot on the Washoe County electronic voting machine, finishing minutes after the polls opened at 7 a.m.

“It’s kind of heavy, to be honest,” Hilliard said. “I feel pride. I’m feel like I’m lucky I have the right to vote.”

Hilliard said he’s still struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and voted for candidates he felt would best support mental health. Watching with teary eyes, dad Tim Hilliard, 47, said he was proud of his son for getting up early to vote. Tim Hilliard said he voted by mail earlier, was confident his ballot had been properly tracked and counted and that it was important to trust the system.

“I do think we need to accept the results either way,” he said. “I do wish legislators would learn how to compromise. Until we can get off this red-blue mess, we aren’t doing to learn what compromise is.”

− Trevor Hughes

Celebrity endorsements have been steadily coming in throughout the campaign trail, and a few well-known names made their choices knowns this week. Among them were actor Harrison Ford, who said he backs Harris, and podcaster Joe Rogan, who favors Trump.

Media personality Megyn Kelly endorsed Trump during one of his Pennsylvania rallies on Monday, saying the former president “will be a protector of women.” William Dwight McKissic Sr., the Texas mega-church pastor, endorsed Harris on social media, saying he wants a president who “would not instigate, finance, participate in, or even attend, a gathering such as the Jan 6 insurrection.”

− Natalie Neysa Alund

At the Grace Lutheran Church in Pottsdown, Pa., campaign signs lead straight to the door of the church. A line of voters wound around the corner. Lee Ann Barkasi, 67, of Pottsdown said she voted for Harris and said she is ready to see the country come together.

“There’s so much hatred,” she said. “I was standing in line in front of someone today, and the things they were saying, they were cursing, and it’s not necessary. We’re supposed to love one another.”

She doesn’t know how the country will come back together though. But she said people need to accept the election results regardless of who wins. 

“My neighbor across the street is Trump’.'” she said. “I’m Kamala, but  she’s allowed to believe or vote for who she wants to. … Everybody’s entitled to their opinion.”

− Sarah Wire

Some of the last polls reflected what they have shown for months − a very close race.

∎ Harris is leading former Trump by 2 percentage points in the latest Ipsos Core Political poll released Monday.

∎ The race is even tighter in the final TIPP Tracking Poll released Tuesday, which showed Trump with just a .3-point lead on Harris.

∎ Harris has a four-point lead over Trump in the final national poll released by Marist on Monday.

∎ Harris and Trump are in a statistical tie in the latest Forbes/HarrisX national poll released late Monday, with Harris holding a razor-thin 49%-48% lead.

− Eric Lagatta and James Powel

Polling in the New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch opened at midnight Monday with the National Anthem played on an accordion. All six of its residents voted immediately, and Trump and Harris each won three votes. Four years ago Biden swept all five votes in the unincorporated township 10 miles east of Vermont. Eight years ago Hillary Clinton claimed four votes to two for Trump and one for Libertarian Gary Johnson.

No need to leave the polls open all day in this town, they close when “all have voted.”

After campaigning vigorously for her father, former President Donald Trump, during his two previous bids for the White House, Ivanka Trump has been absent from the campaign trail this time around. Although the Trump daughter did make an appearance during the Republican National Convention in July, she had announced her intention to stay away from the race after her father announced his candidacy in 2022.

“This time around I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family,” she said in a statement.

Doug Emhoff closed out his campaign for wife Kamala Harris on Monday night with a celebrity-studded rally in Pennsylvania. After a brief performance and speech, Lady Gaga introduced Emhoff as the soon-to-be first gentlemen. Emhoff echoed what has been his main campaign riff: Harris was the right person to trust with his family when they married, and is the right person for America right now.

“My wife cares about what you’re going through, she understands what’s in your way,” Emhoff told the crowd.

Harris’ husband has been an energetic campaign companion for the candidate. Alongside VP-hopeful Tim Walz, Emhoff has sparked a larger conversation around masculinity in a race increasingly defined by gender.  

− Anna Kaufman

In an election eve rally, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance referred to Harris, as “trash” that needs to be taken out. During an appearance in Atlanta, Ohio’s junior senator first criticized a statement by President Joe Biden last week in which he appeared to label supporters of Trump as “garbage.” Biden said he was condemning comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who had derided Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” at a Trump rally a few days earlier.

Vance returned to the moment on Monday, using it to knock Harris, rather than Biden.

“In two days, we are going to take out the trash in Washington, D.C.,” Vance said, “and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris.” 

− Josh Meyer and Savannah Kuchar

“So far, it’s just been smooth sailing, by and large,” Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said of voting on Election Day in the Peach State at a Tuesday morning press conference.

The average line time in Georgia is currently two minutes and the average check-in on electronic poll pads is taking just 49 seconds, he said.

Georgia already saw huge turnout during its early voting period, which closed Friday, with more than 4 million people casting votes. In 2020, about 2.7 million voters cast ballots during the early voting period.

Raffensperger suggested short wait times in the state were boosting voters’ willingness to make their voices heard. “It’s just solid, steady, and it’s more than you would think because the lines are moving so quickly – people in and out in less than 10 minutes,” he said Tuesday.

– Aysha Bagchi

In the midst of one of the most divisive and polarizing elections in recent memory, some Americans want to make their neighbors laugh again. In Goffstown, New Hampshire, Andy Brown decided to plant his own politcial lawn sign: “Andy Brown: Not running for anything. Just wanted a sign.” 

Soon a friend of a friend surprised Brown by adding another sign “paid for by friends of Andy Brown.” So, Brown doubled down on the joke and put up a 3-foot-by-5-foot custom banner with a new campaign slogan. “I like big signs, I cannot lie” − a creative riff on Sir Mix-A-Lot lyrics.

In Arvada, Colorado, Mollie, a Labrador, is running for president against her next-door neighbor Chloe, a terrier. The two stumping canines share a common platform: “More treats, less squirrels.” Read more humorous takes on the election here.

− Jessica Guynn and Bailey Schulz

Congressional election 2024 live updates : Who will have control of the House, Senate?

Democrats in North Carolina fear the state’s new voter ID law could deter turnout or result in votes being thrown out from core constituencies: the elderly, students, racial minorities and low-income voters. A lawsuit by North Carolina Republicans, for example, blocked University of North Carolina Chapel Hill students from using their mobile digital IDs to vote after the State Board of Elections approved the use.

All voters are still allowed to vote with or without a photo ID, according to the board, but any voter who cannot show identification must fill out a form explaining why before casting a provisional ballot that is susceptible to being challenged before the final tally is certified.

Matt Mercer, spokesman for the North Carolina GOP, said the state’s record 4.2 million in-person early voting ballots undercuts “radical” Democrat’s criticisms about the law’s impact.

“We trust the voters of North Carolina and their common sense belief that identification should be required,” he said.

Both major parties expect court battles over voter rolls, mail-in ballots and overseas ballots as polls show an incredibly tight contest between Harris and Trump. Election officials are on guard for equipment failures and software issues that snarled some local vote counts in prior elections – as well as violent threats that have infected the democratic process.  

Trump has refused to commit to accepting Tuesday’s results, and he and many of his supporters assert that only rampant fraud by non-citizen voters could explain a possible loss. Live updates on Election Day snags an be found here.

− Bart Jansen, Aysha Bagchi and Dan Morrison

What is the Electoral College? What to know for Election Day 2024

On Tuesday, the Harris-Walz campaign will host its election night event at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Harris’ alma mater. If elected, she will be the first U.S. president to graduate from a historically Black college and university (HBCU).

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign will host an election watch party in his home county on Nov. 5, but the event will not be at Mar-a-Lago. Instead, the festivities will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The venue swap suggests the campaign is expecting a crush of national and international media, donors and supporters for what his backers expect will be a victory celebration.

− Antonio Fins and Terry Moseley

After campaigning vigorously for her father during his two previous bids for the White House, Ivanka Trump has been absent from the campaign trail this time around. Although the Trump daughter did make an appearance during the Republican National Convention in July, she had announced her intention to stay away from the race after her father announced his candidacy in 2022.

“This time around I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family,” she said in a statement.

Weather conditions ranging from thunderstorms to snow showers in parts of the U.S. could potentially disrupt voters at the poll on Tuesday, while other areas will be unseasonably warm. On Tuesday, a strong cold front will cut through the nation’s midsection, threatening the central U.S. with scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Key swing states, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, are expected to see gusty winds and rainfall as the front pushes eastward. Full weather coverage is here.

− Thao Nguyen

Are banks, post offices open? Here’s what we know

While voters head to the polls, their children may be enjoying their day off as many schools nationwide are not open Tuesday because of safety concerns, because they are polling sites or because they recognize Election Day as a public holiday. Fourteen states have deemed Election Day a public holiday, according to the Monument Advancement Movement. Here is an overview of how states will handle school on Election Day.

Many people will be trying to knock out regular day-to-day errands, such as picking up dry cleaning or going to the bank. Good news: Most banks are open. And the Postal Service will deliver mail.

While Election Day is not a federal holiday, many state offices are closed and 24 states offices, plus the District of Columbia, offer paid time off to vote. Other states offer time off for voting but with no pay.

Are schools closed? Here’s what to know before polls open

Election Day 2024 is here, and Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck in the polls. In Real Clear Politics’ average of national surveys, Trump leads Harris by 0.1 percentage point, well within the margin of error for each of the surveys included.

The Democratic and Republican nominees are also close in the swing states. For example, Harris leads Trump 0.4 percentage points in Real Clear Politics’ average of Wisconsin polls.

Got election questions? Sign up for USA TODAY’s On Politics newsletter for breaking news and exclusive analysis.

Trump, Harris fight for the Latino vote days before Election Day

Kamala Harris visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in the swing state of Pennsylvania, while a Trump rally sparked controversy.

Although Harris and Trump’s visions for solving Americans’ largest problems differ, both have pledged to address inflation, lower taxes and support Israel in its war against Hamas. They have also both committed to ending federal taxes on tips. 

Still, Harris and Trump have seriously different pitches for the nation. They diverge most on climate change, reproductive rights and gun control. If you’re still undecided between the Democratic and Republican nominees, check out USA TODAY’s voter guide to see what Trump and Harris have said about major issues, in their own words.

Across the country, polling hours on Nov. 5 will vary by location.  

Most states will allow voters to cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, in some areas of Vermont, polls opened as early as 5 a.m., and in New York, polls will close as late as 9 p.m. Check with your state or local election office or its website to find the correct window when you can vote in your area. 

USA TODAY’s Voter Guide details everything you need to know about making sure your voice is heard in this year’s general election.  

At noon on the eve of Election Day, the familiar mix of tourists, locals, and government workers seeking fresh air on lunch hour milled as usual in Lafayette Square, next to the White House in downtown Washington, D.C. They were met with an unusual sight – a heavy, metal fence around 10 feet high surrounded the White House, the street in front and a bronze statue of former President Andrew Jackson astride his horse at the center of the park.

The Secret Service’s decision to erect the fence ahead of Election Day left tourists frustrated and Americans on edge at the prospect of violence or unrest in the nation’s capital amid an extraordinarily tight election.

To some, the fences were a bad omen ahead of an election that’s been marked by threats of violence. “You see all the fences around here, and you wonder,” said Mike Longmeyer, 64, visiting the capital from Redlands, California.

− Cybele Mayes-Osterman

It’s been a presidential campaign marked by shocking, historic moments. Trump faced two assassination attempts, including a devastating shooting at a rally over the summer where one attendee, Corey Comperatore, was killed.

President Joe Biden became the first incumbent president in decades to not to seek a second term in office after a disastrous debate performance, clearing the way for Harris.

Millions of Americans will cast a vote for the next president of the United States but votes from the Electoral College are what send a candidate into office. The system grants electoral votes to the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on their population.  

There are 538 electors nationwide and a candidate needs 270 of them to win the White House. Many states give all of their electoral votes to one candidate, in a winner-take-all system, but Maine and Nebraska can split their votes up. 

Because of this voting structure, a candidate can win the election despite losing the popular vote, like Trump did in 2016.  

− Sarah Gleason 

Over 60 million Americans have already voted, according to Election Hub at the University of Florida, but for some wanting to make their voice heard who aren’t registered to vote yet, they can still participate. 

Over 20 states, and Washington D.C., allow voters to register and vote on Election Day. Look here for a full list. Each state has its own voter registration requirements and rules, so voters should check their local election board’s website for details.  

−Sarah Gleason 

It depends where you live. Each state handles its elections differently, ranging from weeks-long early voting periods to strict voter ID laws. 

For example, key swing states that Trump and Harris are vying for, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, aren’t permitted to start processing absentee and mail-in ballots until Election Day, which is expected to slow down the count.  

If you’re looking for a comparison, in 2020, it took four days for all of the votes to be counted, resulting in Biden’s victory on Nov. 7.  

– Sam Woodward  

Technically, no. The loser of the presidential election is not required by law to concede. However, concession is a democratic norm and unwritten rule candidates have followed for decades. 

Tradition holds that the losing candidate is expected to make a public concession speech shortly after the race is called and assist in the peaceful transfer of power if the loser is an incumbent. However, it took weeks before Trump conceded the 2020 race to Joe Biden, and he skipped the presidential inauguration in 2021. 

The next presidential inauguration day is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. 

Every four years the ceremony takes place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. This year, inauguration day will fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Among those leading election night coverage will be John King, Bill Hemmer and Steve Kornacki.

King will be leading election coverage on CNN with the “magic wall” which he, in an interview with USA TODAY, described as the as “the most powerful information tool” he’s ever worked with, adding that the software brings everything to his fingertips and helps present information to viewers in an interactive and transparent manner.

Reporting live on the election and analyzing results in real-time on Fox News will be Bill Hemmer with his “Bill-board.” Hemmer, in an earlier interview told USA TODAY the “Bill-board,” will be “an excellent way of showing” viewers “how things may unfold in real-time.”

On NBC News and MSNBC will be Steve Kornacki, who will be leading election coverage via his “Kornacki cam.” Kornacki, who shot to social media fame during the 2020 presidential election for his near ’round the clock election analysis and signature Gap khaki pants, will be breaking down election results on the “Big Board” though the khakis may or may not be making comeback. 

− Saman Shafiq