Outgoing US President Joe Biden has voted for Kamala Harris as polls showed her deadlocked with Donald Trump in their battle for the White House.
Biden, 81, who was forced to resign as the Democrat candidate over concerns about his cognitive performance, stood in line for half an hour to vote early in New Castle, Delaware.
When asked if it was a bittersweet moment, he said, “This is just sweet.”
In their final predictions before voting day next Tuesday (November 5), several respected polls show the candidates are tied. The outcome depends on a number of key swing states.
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President Biden proudly shows off his “I Voted” sticker as he speaks to the media in Delaware on Monday
Former President Donald Trump speaks during his rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday
Vice President Kamala Harris walks aboard Air Force Two to depart for Michigan on Monday
An average of polls from the aggregator 270toWin last night showed Mr Harris 0.7 percentage points ahead at 48.1 per cent, compared to Mr Trump’s 47.4 per cent – well within the margin of error.
But the razor-thin race could be good news for former President Trump, 78, because support for his Republican party is often underestimated.
This is partly because Trump voters are less likely to interact with pollsters, and those who do may not reveal their true intentions – a phenomenon like the ‘shy Tory’ factor in Britain.
Election analyst Nate Silver wrote in the liberal New York Times that the election is too close to call, but added: “My gut feeling is Donald Trump.”
Republicans have lost the popular vote in all but one of eight presidential elections, even though they won the presidency. So Trump will probably be happy that he currently has a 50-50 share.
Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, listens during the National Faith Summit at Worship With Wonders Church in Powder Springs on Monday
US President Joe Biden pulls open the black curtain around the polls after casting his vote on Monday
President Biden looked like a regular citizen as he stood in line with his Secret Service agents and greeted a woman in a wheelchair on Monday
Vice President Kamala Harris visits IUPAT (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades) on October 28
Kamala Harris greets union workers as she visits an International Union of Painters and Allied Trades training center
Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at McCamish Pavilion on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Atlanta
The latest CNN poll, in which the candidates each received 47 percent of the vote, shows that most voters think Trump will not concede if he loses.
The survey also found that nearly half (49 percent) think they would be worse off under Democrats, compared to just 16 percent who say they are better off now.
Seven in 10 Americans say the country is on the wrong track, and Trump is gaining confidence on key issues like immigration, the economy and foreign policy.
However, Ms. Harris has received enormous support, especially from women, for her stance on abortion and reproductive rights.