5 Things Special Edition: What you should know about Election Day

CNN
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Happy Friday, dear readers! Whether you consider yourself a political obsessive or just tune in every four years, it's important to do your research before heading to your local polling place or mailing in your ballot. In this special edition of 5 Things, we'll help you brush up on the information many people are asking for in the final stretch before Election Day.

The 2024 elections are almost upon us. So if you waited until November 5th to vote, you need to be prepared. Check your registration status online. 23 states and Washington, DC allow voter registration on Election Day. Next, know your voting location. The site you voted on two or four years ago may have moved. Be sure to bring photo ID with you. Rules regarding acceptable forms of identification vary from state to state. Finally, expect long lines at many polling locations — and be aware that what you wear could prevent you from voting: Several states have campaign laws that prohibit the wearing of campaign hats, T-shirts or pins inside a certain distance from a polling station.

🇺🇸 Use CNN's personalized voter guide to find out the rules and deadlines in your state.

The Harris and Trump campaigns are focused on gathering votes in battleground states that could decide the election. Recent CNN polls show Kamala Harris with a slim lead in two of the three blue wall states – Wisconsin and Michigan – which together represent her clearest path to an Electoral College victory. But in Pennsylvania, the biggest electoral win of the three states, the race is tied. In the key battlegrounds of southwestern Arizona and Nevada, Harris and Donald Trump are almost evenly matched in the race for the White House. And there is also a neck-and-neck race in Georgia and North Carolina. If vote counts are close in key states, as was the case in 2020, we likely won't know the winner on Election Day.

🇺🇸 To win the presidency, at least 270 electoral votes are required. Chart each candidate's best path to victory with CNN's Road to 270 map.

3. Compare candidates

Just under 2% of likely voters say they have not yet decided on a presidential candidate to support, and another 12% have decided on one but say they might change their mind, according to a late September report CNN poll conducted by SSRS showed. About 41% of likely voters say the economy is the most important issue to them, with protecting democracy coming in second at 21%, immigration at 12% and abortion at 11%. According to the poll, likely voters said they would be more likely to trust Trump than Harris to handle economic, immigration and foreign policy. On the other hand, likely voters generally favor Harris' approach to abortion and reproductive rights, which unites the country and protects democracy.

🇺🇸 See a breakdown of the 2024 presidential candidates here. CNN Politics has laid out Harris and Trump's campaign promises.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have stepped up their outreach efforts in the final weeks of the 2024 race to attract both small donors and wealthy investors. Harris' political campaign has raised $1 billion since its launch in late July using targeted social media messaging and celebrity endorsements. Trump's team announced that it would raise around $430 million together with the Republican Party between July and September. External super PACs are also helping Trump close the financial gap. Third-quarter filings show Elon Musk and other billionaires poured tens of millions of dollars into this year's election to boost Trump's bid for the White House.

🇺🇸 Track the money: See how much the 2024 candidates have raised.

Election officials are committed to combating misinformation in real time during the early voting process. This comes as conservatives have shared unconfirmed cases of vote fraud by machines, claims of widespread fraud in mail-in ballots and suggestions that election officials are undermining the process when ballots take several days to count. Social media companies have also retreated from challenging election misinformation, causing some corners of their platforms to become hotbeds for conspiracy theories. Many local officials said they would communicate directly with voters if problems arise with voting.

🇺🇸 Watch this video to learn how disinformation is shaping the 2024 election.

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This is how many words the oath of office that Harris or Trump will take at the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025 contains:

“I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge the office of President of the United States and to preserve, protect and defend to the best of my ability the Constitution of the United States.”

“He always felt that the title of citizen was the highest title in our country and that it was a citizen's duty to vote. So he’s always done it and he’s excited to continue doing it.”

—Jason Carter, Former President Jimmy Carter's grandson confirmed that his grandfather recently cast an absentee ballot for Kamala Harris. At 100, Carter is the oldest living president and is receiving hospice care at his home in Georgia.

AND FINALLY…

Here's how to use CNN's Magic Wall to watch the 2024 election

Experience the iconic Magic Wall
This election, CNN is bringing the Magic Wall directly to you via the latest version of the CNN mobile app. Explore our interactive map to see which states and counties could win or fail the election and get real-time election results starting November 5th. Follow the presidential, Senate and House results while watching CNN live on your connected TV. Download the CNN app to experience the Magic Wall today.