First election result in the USA. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are tied 3-3

In an election that was too close, it seemed only fitting that the first votes cast on Election Day were evenly split — 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 country to conduct in-person voting. After a spirited accordion rendition of the national anthem, the city's six voters began voting at midnight, and by 12:15 a.m. the counting of votes was complete.

The result largely reflects national polling trends, which have shown both candidates fighting a tight race.

The US electoral system is based on 538 electoral votes, consisting of 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 100 seats in the Senate, 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. California has the largest share with 54 electoral votes, followed by Texas with 40 and Florida with 30. Smaller states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware and Vermont each have at least 3 electoral votes.

Close fight between Trump and Harris

The election is expected to be closely contested in swing states. These are key battlegrounds that do not 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).

Although several third-party candidates are running, the primary race remains between the Democratic and Republican parties. Vice President Kamala Harris, representing the Democrats, hopes to make history by becoming the first woman and the first person of Indian origin to assume the office of US President. On the other hand, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is attempting a historic comeback to the White House after his controversial exit in 2020. If Trump succeeds, he would be the first president in more than a century to have two non-presidents serve. consecutive terms.

Polling data suggests a neck-and-neck race between Harris and Trump, with many polls showing results within the margin of error. According to national polling data from ABC News' FiveThirtyEight platform, Harris has a slight 1 percentage point lead over Trump (48% to 46.9%). Other polls provide close numbers: NBC News and Emerson College show a 49% to 49% tie, Ipsos gives Harris a 49% to 46% lead and AtlasIntel predicts a 50% to 48% lead for Trump.