Election Day 2024: Millions head to polls to decide between Harris, Trump; DC steps up security

WASHINGTON - Election Day has arrived, and millions of voters across the country are heading to the polls to decide the next President of the United States. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are in a tight race, marked by turmoil and bitterness.

Final presidential polls indicate Harris has a slight national edge over Trump, while Trump leads in more swing states. Voters face a stark choice between two candidates with drastically different temperaments and visions for the world's largest economy and dominant military power.

READ MORE: Presidential election polls: Who is currently ahead?

Harris, the Democratic vice president, could become the first female president if elected. She has pledged to work across the aisle to address economic concerns and other issues without radically departing from President Joe Biden's course. Trump, the Republican former president, has vowed to replace thousands of federal workers with loyalists, impose sweeping tariffs on allies and foes alike, and stage the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

More than 82 million people voted early. Those casting ballots on Tuesday mostly encountered a smooth process nationwide, with isolated reports of long lines, technical issues, and ballot printing errors.

READ MORE: Larry Hogan casts 2024 election ballot in Maryland amid battle for US Senate seat

In Maryland, Republican Larry Hogan, a popular two-term governor, is in the final stretch of a competitive campaign to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Hogan faces an uphill battle against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, who could make history as the state’s first Black U.S. senator in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1.

The stakes are unusually high for a Maryland race featuring a Republican who garnered significant Democratic support in his 2014 and 2018 gubernatorial victories. Hogan is only the second Republican in Maryland history to be reelected governor.

Both Hogan and Alsobrooks voted in-person on Tuesday, expressing optimism about their chances for victory.

READ MORE: Angela Alsobrooks votes in Maryland amid high stakes US Senate race

The nation’s capital has seen heightened security in the days leading up to Election Day. Anti-scale fencing was put into place around the White House and the official vice presidential home a few miles away on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Some downtown businesses and restaurants took it upon themselves to board-up ahead of Election Day.

At Howard University where the Vice President is holding her campaign election night watch party, fencing and security barriers have been erected. Street closures are also in place around the campus.

D.C. police say there is no specific threat to the city at this time. 

HOW TO WATCH LIVE ELECTION RESULTS

In D.C., Election Day Vote Centers will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Voters can cast their ballots at any Vote Center, regardless of their residential address.

In Maryland, voters must vote at their assigned polling place on Election Day. Polling places will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and anyone in line by 8:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

In Virginia, polling places will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line by 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

ELECTION 2024 QUICK LINKS:

When do the polls open in DC, Maryland, and Virginia?

How to vote in person on Election Day in DC, Maryland, and Virginia

Are schools open or closed on Election Day 2024 in DC, Maryland, and Virginia?

Election 2024: Sample ballots for DC, Maryland, Virginia

How to watch LIVE election results

When will we know who won the election?

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