Maryland [US], November 5 : With the polling for US presidential elections 2024 opened for 25 states along eastern and central America on Tuesday, voters from the eastern state of Maryland queued to the polling stations to cast their vote in what is termed to be one of their most consequential elections, which will decide the direction of not just the US but also have an influence on global geopolitics for the next four years.
Voters there term the election as very important and that they are voting for change in the country.
Lisa Rogen, a voter from the state, said, "We just need a change in the country. Period."
Another voter named Rob Amchin said that it was important for people to come out and vote and that there was a lot of anxiety about the outcome of the elections.
"It is so important that everyone comes out to vote today. It is an election like no other. If you have any thoughts of not voting, today is the day to change your mind... I think we've all been having lots of anxiety about the outcome of the election and depending upon how it comes out, we may be struggling to make ends meet; we may be struggling to understand one another's neighbour. There's been a lot of divisive conversations over the last year or more and hopefully, after this, all of that dissent will disappear and we will become neighbours again, without anger and dissent, but all working towards the common goal of a better United States," Rob said.
Another voter named Mark said that it was important to "get out and vote" today, as it is a right that not everyone gets in the world.
"I'm from Maryland. I'm here first thing in the morning. I think it's very important to whatever you're doing today; if you haven't voted, get out and vote. It's a right that not everybody in the world gets, so you have to take advantage of it and it does matter. It will change your life. You never know what kind of legislation is going to happen," he said.
The polling hours today will vary across the states, but most locations will vote between 6 am and 8 pm on Tuesday (local time). Though exit polls will start coming once voting starts, the final results will come only after counting is closed in all states.
Despite the presence of many other parties, the US race is between the Democratic and Republican parties. Vice President Kamala Harris is the candidate of the incumbent Democrats, and she is aiming to create history by becoming the first woman in the US. If elected, she will also be the first Indian-origin President of the United States.
On the other hand, the Republican candidate is former President Donald Trump, who is eyeing a historic comeback to the White House after a bitter exit in 2020. Notably, if Trump wins, it will be the first instance in over 100 years of a president serving two non-consecutive terms in the White House.
Most of the polls have predicted a very close race between Trump and Harris, with all the leads projected within the margin of error.
According to the national polls, as provided by the 'five thirty-eight' platform of ABC News, Harris (48) has a minor lead of 1 percentage point against Donald Trump (46.9).NBC News and Emerson College have projected a 49%-49% tie nationally between the two candidates. Ipsos has projected a three-point lead (49%-46%) to Harris, while AtlasIntel has projected a two-point lead (50%-48%) to Trump.
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