democracy and economics were by far the most important issues for voters, with about a third of respondents naming each, followed by abortion And immigration.

The poll found that 73% of voters believe democracy is in danger, compared with 25% who said it is safe.

The findings underscored the depth of polarization in a country where divisions have only deepened in a fiercely competitive race.

Trump has used increasingly apocalyptic rhetoric while stoking unfounded fears that the election system cannot be trusted. Harris warned that a second Trump term would threaten the foundations of American democracy.

The numbers represent just a fraction of the tens of millions of people who voted both before and during Election Day, and preliminary results could change overnight as more people are polled.

Hours before the polls closed, Trump claimed without evidence on his Truth Social website that “there was a lot of talk in Philadelphia about a huge TRAP,” repeating his false claims from 2020 that fraud happened in major cities dominated by Democrats . . In a later post, he also stated that fraud had occurred in Detroit.

“I don’t respond to nonsense,” he said Reuters Detroit Clerk Janice Winfrey.

Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein responded in X: “There is absolutely no truth to this statement. This is another example of misinformation. Voting in Philadelphia was safe and secure.”

Trump, whose supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 after claiming the 2020 election was fraudulent, had earlier voted near his home in Palm Beach, Florida.

“If I lose the election, if it is a fair election, I will be the first to admit it,” Trump told reporters.

His campaign suggests he could declare victory on election night even with millions of ballots still to be counted, as he did four years ago. It may take several days for the winner to find out if the personal difference in battlefield conditions is as close as expected.

Trump attended a meeting on voter turnout that morning but appeared bored talking about the data, according to a source briefed on the meeting. According to the source, all Trump wanted to know was: “Will I win?”

Harris, who earlier mailed her ballot to California, her home state, spent part of Tuesday in a radio interview urging people to vote. He was later scheduled to speak to students at Howard University, the historically black institution in Washington, D.C., where Harris attended.

“Coming back to Howard University tonight, my beloved alma mater, and being able to experience this day for what it is really comes full circle for me,” Harris said in a radio interview.

After a breakneck campaign, the two rivals headed toward an uncertain ending as millions of American voters lined up to choose between two radically different visions for the country.

The race, marked by unprecedented events – two assassination attempts on Trump, the surprise departure of President Joe Biden and the rapid rise of Harris – remained too close after billions of dollars in spending and months of frantic campaigning. (Reuters)