Trump or Harris? Election Day faces a difficult decision

WASHINGTON (AP) — A presidential campaign marked by turmoil and rancor was nearing its end election day as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or appoint Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.

Elections opened across the country on Tuesday morning as voters faced a difficult choice between two candidates who had vastly different temperaments and visions for the world's largest economy and dominant military power.

Harristhe Democratic vice president, would be the first female president if elected. She promised to work across the aisle to address economic concerns and other issues without radically deviating from President Joe Biden's course. Trumpthe Republican former president, swore Replacing thousands of federal workers with loyalists, imposing sweeping tariffs on allies and enemies and carrying out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

The two candidates spent the dwindling campaign hours Overlap in Pennsylvania, the largest battleground state. They tried to power their bases while Americans were undecided or debating whether to vote at all.

“It's important, it's my civic duty and it's important that I vote for myself and for the democracy and the country that I've supported for 22 years of my life,” said Ron Kessler, 54, an Air Force veteran from Pennsylvania he was voting for only the second time.

Harris and Trump focused on seven battleground states on Election Day, five of which were carried by Trump in 2016 before flipping to Biden in 2020: the “blue wall” of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as Arizona and Georgia. Nevada and North Carolina, which went Democratic and Republican in the last two elections, were also closely contested.

The closeness of the race and the number of states involved increased the likelihood that a winner could again not be known on election night. There was an early warning from the New Hampshire hamlet of Dixville Notch, where voting traditionally takes place after midnight on Election Day. Dixville Notch was split between Trump and Harris with three votes each.

The 2020 presidential election took four days to determine a winner. Regardless, Trump has baselessly claimed that defeat was due to fraud. Harris' campaign was preparing for this Try to declare victory before a winner is declared on Tuesday night, or to try to challenge the result if she wins. Four years ago, Trump an effort started to overthrow the will of the voters ended with the uprising on January 6, 2021 at the US Capitol.

Trump planned to vote in his adopted home state of Florida on Tuesday and then spend the day at his Mar-a-Lago estate before hosting a party at a nearby convention center. Harris has already voted by mail in her home state of California. She will host a wake party at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington.

Each candidate would lead the country into new territory

Harris, 60, would be the first woman, Black woman and person of South Asian descent to serve as president. She would also be the first sitting vice president to win the White House in 32 years.

Victory would cap a tumultuous campaign unparalleled in American history. Harris rose to the top of the Democratic list Less than four months ago, Biden ended his re-election bid after facing intense pressure from his party following a disastrous performance in the debate.

Trump, 78, would be that oldest president ever elected. He would also be the first defeated president in 132 years to win another term in the White House and the first person convicted of a crime to take the Oval Office.

Have left Washington left by some allies after January 6, Trump defeated younger rivals in the Republican primary, solidifying the support of longtime allies and harsh critics within his party. He survived an assassination attempt by millimeters in a July rally. Secret service agents a second attempt was thwarted in September.

A victory for Trump would confirm that enough voters are on hand Warnings from many former Trump employees or instead prioritized Biden and Harris’ responsibilities for the economy or the U.S.-Mexico border.

It would almost ensure he wouldn't go to prison after he was found guilty about his role in concealing hush money payments to an adult film actress during his first presidential run in 2016. His sentencing in that case could come later this month. And when Trump took office, he could end the federal investigation in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.

The election is at stake for America and the world

The potential turmoil of a second Trump term has been compounded by his support for the far right of the Republican Party and his disregard for long-held democratic norms.

Trump used harsh rhetoric against Harris and other Democrats called them “demonic” and did so suggested military action against People he calls “Enemies from within.”

Harris pointed to warnings from Trump's former advisers: labeled it a “fascist” and accused Trump of putting women’s lives in danger Appointment of three judges which brought down Roe against Wade. She tried to strike a more positive tone in the final hours of the campaign, remaining throughout the final day Monday without mentioning the name of her Republican opponent.

Heading into Election Day, federal, state and local officials expressed his confidence in the integrity the country's electoral systems. Still, they were prepared to contend with what they said was unprecedented levels of foreign disinformation — particularly from Russia and Iran — as well as the possibility of physical violence or cyberattacks.

Both sides have armies of lawyers waiting for legal challenges on and after Election Day. And law enforcement agencies across the country are on high alert for possible violence.

The outcome of the race was closely watched around the world, with the future of American support for Ukraine, U.S. loyalty to its global alliances and the nation's determination to stand up to the autocrats at stake.

Harris has promised to continue to support Kiev's defense against Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Trump has sharply criticized Ukraine, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested him would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies of the USA, which Trump considers criminal.

Voters across the country also decided thousands of other races that will decide everything from control of Congress to state ballot measures on abortion access.

More than 82 million People voted early — falls short of the record set during the 2020 pandemic, when Trump encouraged Republicans to continue voting on Election Day. This time he asked his voters to lock their ballots in advance, and they complied in droves.

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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Palm Beach, Florida, Darlene Superville and Eric Tucker in Washington, and Marc Levy in Allentown, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.