Tomorrow voters will cast their ballot to elect the person they believe should lead the United States over the next four years. But while the ballots may be cast, it could be a bit before we know the outcome.
After an unprecedented year in the presidential campaign from multiple reported assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden stepping down as the Democrats’ supposed nominee ceding the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to take the reigns just a few months ahead of the election. Now it comes down to one day before Americans make their choices known by voting for who they think will best lead the country over the next four years.
And it is a tight race.
Here’s a look at who is ahead in the presidential election polls ahead of Election Day, when we can expect results and more.
Tennessee Voter Guide: What to know about the key races
Who is leading in the presidential race polls?
It is still an incredibly close race as we are less than 24 hours from Election Day, but there has been some (slight) tipping of the scales over the weekend.
The final batch of national polls has Trump and Harris still on even footing, with the two candidates making last-ditch efforts to sway voters to their side. TIPP’s tracking poll of 1,411 likely voters conducted Friday to Sunday shows Trump and Harris locked at 48%. The margin of error is 2.7 percentage points.
A new poll from ABC News/Ipsos released Sunday, has Harris with a slight lead over Trump. The poll, conducted between Tuesday and Friday, of 2,267 likely voters showed Harris leading Trump 49%-46% just ahead of Election Day.
“That scant 3-point difference with Trump matches the average Democratic-Republican gap in the last eight presidential elections, of which Democrats won the popular vote in seven,” ABC News reported. “Regardless, the result leaves a wide-open field for the vagaries of the Electoral College.”
Iowa upset? Recent poll shows Kamala Harris ahead in swing state
In an unexpected turn of events, a recent poll out of Iowa, once predicted to go to Trump in the 2024 election, shows Harris with a slight advantage over the Republican nominee.
Ruby red Iowa is starting to look a little blue after a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows Harris leading Trump 47% to 44%. While other states have been close in polls, Trump had a strong foothold in the state with an 18-point lead over Biden in a June Iowa Poll, and while the margin narrowed once Harris took over the campaign, Trump still maintained a 4-point lead over Harris in a September Iowa Poll.
Take a look at how Trump and Harris are fairing in other swing states ahead of Election Day:
Polls in swing states New presidential election polls released in Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina: See results
Where are Trump and Harris today?
Both candidates continue to campaign in the final moments ahead of Election Day in states that could make or break this election for candidates.
Trump is holding four rallies in pivotal swing states, starting in North Carolina before heading to Pennsylvania for two campaign stops and wrapping up the day in Michigan. Harris, meanwhile, is in Pennsylvania holding rallies in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, followed by a concert in Allentown.
When will we know who is elected president?
That may take some time.
The anticipation around election night and the outcome doesn’t mean we will know for sure who the winner will be come morning. In 2020, President Joe Biden’s win was announced by the Associated Press four days after Election Day.
Voters have during early voting and on Election Day to vote for the candidates they believe are best for the political office that they are running for. But it takes some time to count all of the ballots, depending on the state and the laws in place regarding elections.
Federal law requires governors to create documents called certificates of ascertainment that begin the process of convening the Electoral College to vote for president and vice president. Secretaries of state, or another official depending on the state, compile election results from local and county governments so the winner can be declared.
Representatives of the Republican governors of New Hampshire, Vermont and Virginia − all states leaning toward Harris in polls − told USA TODAY they intend to certify the results regardless of the winner. And top election officials in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and North Carolina also said they wouldn’t be swayed.
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Who is predicted to win the presidential race?
In September, Allan Lichtman, a historian renowned for accurately predicting 9 out of the 10 most recent presidential elections, picked Harris as the next president of the United States and his prediction still stands just days ahead of Election Day.
On Tuesday, Lichtman reiterated his prediction of a Harris win on his YouTube channel, despite Harris’ leads in battleground states shrinking and polls being close.
“Nothing has changed to change my prediction that I made on Sept. 5,” Lichtman said, “in defiance of the polls.”
When is election day 2024?
The general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Where do I vote?
Go to GoVoteTN.com to find your current polling location for Election Day.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who’s winning the presidential race? Latest polls, head of Tuesday
