The race for the White House is in its last stretch. Polling booths are now open, and turnout in early voting has been high. The two major-party candidates, Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-president, and Donald Trump, the Republican former president, have criss-crossed the country, scrambling to motivate voters.
We track polls from across the country and synthesise them to measure the state of the race. After she took over the Democratic nomination from Joe Biden, Ms Harris’s standing rose. But the American election is not decided by the popular vote. Our prediction model runs the numbers to assess whether a slim lead will be enough to put Ms Harris in the White House. And check this page soon after the first polls close at 6pm EST / 11pm GMT on November 5th for live results and analysis covering every race in the election.
The polls have been fairly steady despite an intense and eventful campaign. Mr Trump, the first convicted felon to seek the White House, has faced two deplorable attempts on his life: at a rally in Pennsylvania and at his own golf course in Florida. Ms Harris, for her part, showed up the former president in their only debate and enjoys a swingeing financial advantage. Yet, weighed down by the Biden administration’s legacy, she has struggled to pull away from Mr Trump.
The Economist is tracking the race. As well as an average of the polls, you can also see historic polling data for Mr Biden and Mr Trump, more recent polling since Ms Harris entered the contest, and key dates in the race and candidate biographies. Stay informed with our weekday newsletter, The US in brief.
